Armenia may shut church-owned TV channel Over public funding shake-up

Armenian authorities are considering shutting down the church-owned television channel Shoghakat, according to Armenian media.

A draft amendment to Armenia’s Law on Audiovisual Media proposes reducing the number of public service broadcasters from three to two, Caliber.Az reports.

Shoghakat is currently one of the three channels with public broadcaster status. Tagui Kazaryan, co-author of the draft, said the channel could face closure.

“For several years, the state has funded this channel without any competitive process. I believe these resources could be used more effectively by commissioning programmes through competitions in which this broadcaster could also participate,” Kazaryan said.

Opposition MP Lilit Galstyan challenged the proposal, noting that the church itself funds around half of Shogakat’s operations. She also criticised the channel for broadcasting opposition marches and demonstrations.

The situation in Armenia has escalated after the government agreed to return four occupied border villages to Azerbaijan in May 2024. These measures sparked widespread protests, led by the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) and senior clergy such as Archbishop Bagrat Galstyan, head of the opposition movement “Sacred Struggle.”

Demonstrations soon expanded into broader calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, with critics accusing the government of compromising national interests.

In response, the government proposed changes to the procedure for electing the Catholicos of All Armenians, which would give the state a greater role in the process. Authorities also detained several clergy members, including the nephew of Catholicos Karekin II, actions that drew criticism and allegations of political repression.

Catholicos Karekin II has publicly expressed criticism of the government, describing its actions as a “betrayal” and calling for the prime minister’s resignation. He has also been linked by some observers to movements opposing the government’s approach to peace and territorial agreements.

Tensions between the state and the church remain high, creating potential challenges for Armenia’s political stability. The future trajectory will depend largely on whether both sides can engage in dialogue and seek compromise regarding the church’s role in public and political life.

By Aghakazim Guliyev