Pashinyan’s office slams Russian oligarch for alleged Church exploitation photo

Taron Chakhoyan, Deputy Chief of Staff to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, has sharply criticised the actions of “Garegin II and Tashir Samo” — a reference to Russian oligarch Samvel Karapetyan — claiming that they have transformed Armenian churches into political campaign centres and commercial spaces.

According to Caliber.Az, Chakhoyan shared his comments on Facebook, writing:

“Another church that Ktrich has transformed into a campaign headquarters — a photograph of Tashir Samo is hanging on the wall.

Our churches must be cleansed of Ktrich and Tashir Samo, who desecrate them.

Ktrich has turned the church into a campaign headquarters for Tashir Samo and Kocharyan.

Tashir Samo has turned the church into his own mall, decorating its walls with his portrait.”

The statements are part of a year-long confrontation that intensified in May 2025, when Pashinyan accused Garegin II and senior Armenian Apostolic Church bishops of moral misconduct, including violating celibacy vows, and of plotting a “coup” with opposition oligarchs such as Karapetyan. This escalation led to the arrest of three archbishops in June–July 2025 on charges of incitement, prompting protests and international criticism from the World Council of Churches. Pashinyan framed his actions as an effort to “liberate” the Church from corruption dating back to the Soviet era, proposing a “New Armenia, New Catholicos” initiative to hold Church elections—an initiative that Garegin II dismissed as unconstitutional political interference.

Samvel Karapetyan himself was arrested on June 18, 2025, in Yerevan. He faces charges under Article 422 of Armenia’s Criminal Code for “public calls to seize power”. The charges relate to a June 2025 statement in which Karapetyan voiced support for the Armenian Apostolic Church amid rising tensions with Pashinyan’s government. In the statement, he criticised what he called the government’s “political incompetence,” its growing distance from Russia, and its attacks on the Church, saying:

“If the politicians fail, then we will participate in our own way in all of this.”

Authorities interpreted his remarks as incitement to overthrow the government.

By Tamilla Hasanova