Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II met with lawyers, rights advocates and constitutional experts at Holy Etchmiadzin on October 6 to discuss initiatives by Pashinyan’s government concerning the Church.
The meeting focused on the report prepared on Nikol Pashinyan’s instructions, the parliamentary inquiry commission, criminal proceedings involving clergy and legal responses.
Legal scholar Gevorg Danielyan and attorney Ara Zohrabyan briefed participants on the report and the Church “reform” agenda included in Pashinyan’s 2026–2031 government program.
Published on September 24 by the Public Relations and Information Centre under Pashinyan’s office, the report describes what it calls a Church “crisis” and identifies 16 alleged problems, including clerical misconduct, financial opacity, “clan-based governance,” politicization and foreign influence.
It outlines a five-step roadmap, while Pashinyan’s agenda calls for the removal of Karekin II, appointment of an interim Church leader, adoption of a new charter and eventual election of a new Catholicos. Pashinyan later said the report showed the Church had been “seized” by Karekin II and his supporters.
On October 6, the Prosecutor’s Office confirmed it is examining allegations in the report for possible criminal conduct, but did not say whether new proceedings have been opened.
Participants condemned the parliamentary commission as openly unconstitutional, arguing that the National Assembly has no authority over the Church’s leadership, administration or canonical life and that such oversight violates the constitutional separation of religious organizations from the state and the Church’s right to self-governance.
Also on October 6, Civil Contract approved the commission’s 11-member composition with 62 votes. Seven seats went to Civil Contract, while both opposition factions refused to participate. Opposition parliamentary factions “Strong Armenia” and “Armenia” refused to participate in the work of the commission.
The lawyers discussed domestic and international legal mechanisms to protect the Church and clergy. Karekin II said the Mother See is demanding respect for the rule of law and the Church’s constitutional autonomy.
