Revanchist leader archbishop detained in Armenia on terror charges

Armenian authorities have detained Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, the leader of the revanchist movement “Sacred Struggle”, on charges related to terrorism and a coup attempt.

Masked law enforcement officers apprehended the clergyman at his residence. He was reportedly placed into an unmarked vehicle and taken to an undisclosed location, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

The Investigative Committee of Armenia confirmed the arrest, stating that Galstanyan is under investigation for allegedly preparing acts of terrorism and plotting to overthrow the constitutional order.

To recall, in the early hours of June 25, Armenian law enforcement launched a coordinated series of searches across the country, targeting residences linked to members and supporters of the revanchist “Tavush for the Homeland” movement—also known as the “Sacred Struggle.”

Among those targeted was the movement’s leader, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a cleric-turned-political figure known for his fierce opposition to the Armenian government’s ongoing border delimitation efforts with Azerbaijan. Galstanyan’s apartment was among the locations raided, leading to his subsequent detention under charges of preparing terrorist acts and attempting to seize power.

The crackdown marks a significant escalation in tensions between the Armenian government and the nationalist opposition, which has mobilized increasing public dissent over the contentious decision to return four border villages in the Tavush region to Azerbaijan. The territorial transfers form part of the broader Armenia-Azerbaijan border demarcation process initiated in the aftermath of the Second Karabakh War.

Since April 2024, the Tavush for the Homeland movement, spearheaded by Archbishop Galstanyan, has organized widespread protests and acts of civil disobedience throughout Yerevan and several provincial areas. The movement has vocally condemned what it views as unilateral and politically motivated concessions, accusing the government of compromising Armenia’s national integrity and security.

By Vafa Guliyeva