Armenian PM's allies target Church leadership in ongoing sex scandal

Taron Chakhoyan, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Armenia, issued sharp criticism of senior figures within the Armenian Apostolic Church, arguing that those defending the Catholicos and the head of the Echmiadzin Chancellery share responsibility for the scandal engulfing the Church.

According to Caliber.Az, Armenian media outlets reported Chakhoyan’s remarks.

In a statement, Chakhoyan wrote: “Those who defend Ktrich (Garegin II — ed.) directly share responsibility for Arshak’s sacrilege (head of the Echmiadzin Chancellery — ed.) and for the attempts to conceal this sacrilege. Either they treat their own aunt the same way Arshak did, or, like Ktrich, they are disgracefully trying to cover up Arshak’s actions. One thing is clear: the sacrilegious Arshak and the vow-breaking Ktrich, who is covering for him, have no place in the Church.”

The scandal first erupted on October 25, when an explicit video appeared on a Telegram channel — later deleted — purporting to show Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan, head of the Catholicos’ office, with his uncle’s wife.

Earlier, a group of senior Armenian bishops issued a public statement addressed to Catholicos Garegin II, accusing him of shielding Archbishop Khachatryan.

They said expert analysis had confirmed the authenticity of the footage. According to the bishops, Ktrich Nersisyan (Garegin II) was actively attempting to hide what they called a “sacrilegious act” committed by Khachatryan. They further argued that the Catholicos had violated the vow he made upon his ordination to lead the Armenian Apostolic Church with “straightforward teaching.”

The bishops appealed to the faithful to “cleanse” the First See of Holy Etchmiadzin of individuals they described as sacrilegious and of those enabling them. They also denounced what they characterised as the Catholicos’ misguided leadership.

The controversy has unfolded against the backdrop of mounting tensions between the Armenian Apostolic Church and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government. Relations deteriorated sharply in May 2025, when Pashinyan accused Catholicos Garegin II and senior clergy of moral misconduct and of collaborating with opposition-aligned oligarchs to destabilise the state.

Following these accusations, three archbishops were detained on incitement charges.

Pashinyan has framed his broader campaign as an effort to purge corruption from the Church, promoting a “New Armenia, New Catholicos” initiative ahead of future leadership elections.

By Tamilla Hasanova