Armenian authorities on Wednesday detained Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and 13 others on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government, further exacerbating tensions between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church.
On the part of the Investigative Committee, Galstanyan and 15 suspected co-conspirators are accused of obtaining equipment and tools to organize a terror attack and illegally take power. Fourteen suspects, including Galstanyan, are now detained, although all names have not been made public.
Prime Minister Pashinyan, in a Telegram post, alleged that the group was hatching a “large and sinister plot” under the leadership of a “criminal-oligarchic clergy.” The arrest has drawn increasing tension between the government and the powerful Church, which has growingly criticized Pashinyan, especially Armenia’s military defeat by Azerbaijan.
Galstanyan, a strong critic of Pashinyan, had spearheaded mass demonstrations last year demanding the resignation of the prime minister, after Armenia was defeated and lost territory in the 2020 war and Azerbaijan reclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023.
The authorities accuse Galstanyan’s organization of enlisting more than 1,000 people most of them ex-military and policemen to obstruct roads, interfere with communications, spread unrest, and finally destabilize the state. Authorities also published audio clips and a photograph of seized arms, which they say corroborate the coup charges.
Galstanyan’s attorney, Sergei Arutyunyan, said the charges were groundless and that the arrests were a political trick. “They are attempting to stage catching terrorists in order to divert the people’s attention,” he added.
The move comes after last week’s arrest of Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, charged with stirring up power struggles following criticism of the government’s handling of the Church. He has denied any wrongdoing.
With parliamentary elections being held as early as June 2026 and negotiations for peace with Azerbaijan continuing, Pashinyan’s administration is under mounting domestic and geopolitical pressure, with internal opposition growing.