Armenian Parliament advances bill to close church-run television channel

The National Assembly of Armenia has taken a significant step by approving in its first reading a legislative proposal to terminate the operations of the Armenian Church’s television channel, Shoghakat.

The bill garnered support from 63 MPs, while 31 members of parliament voted against it, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

The draft amendments to the Law on Audiovisual Media seek to reduce the number of public broadcasters mandated under the current legislation to just two. Concurrently, the bill proposes the elimination of the existing requirement for broadcasters to air educational and cultural programming. The explanatory note accompanying the proposal explicitly indicates that the legislation aims to discontinue Shoghakat— a television company established by the Armenian Church — and remove it from the public broadcasting multiplex.

The bill was put forward by Sisak Gabrielyan and Tagui Kazaryan, members of the ruling Civil Contract party.

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 Vafa Guliyeva