Yerevan court opts against arrest for synagogue attacker

In Yerevan, a recent attack on a synagogue has prompted the Armenian Investigative Committee to initiate legal proceedings.

Caliber.Az reports citing the Committee that a 35-year-old man has been detained after confessing to breaking the window of the religious centre on the night of June 10. The attack was reportedly motivated by racial and national hatred.

Despite the Investigative Committee's request for his arrest, the court opted for a less severe measure, ordering the man to provide a signature guaranteeing that he would not leave the area.

The latest attack on the only synagogue in the Armenian capital is the fourth since last October.

The Index of Anti-Semitism published by the Anti-Defamation League revealed significant levels of anti-Semitic stereotypes and beliefs among the adult population in Armenia. A staggering 58 per cent of respondents held some form of anti-Semitic stereotypes. Furthermore, a substantial number of respondents believed in traditional anti-Semitic tropes: 72 per cent thought Jews wielded too much power in the business world, 68 per cent believed they had excessive influence in international financial markets, and over half of the respondents endorsed conspiracy theories about Jewish control over global affairs and the United States. Additionally, nearly 40 per cent attributed responsibility to Jews for most of the world's wars.

In a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center across 18 European countries, Armenian respondents exhibited particularly high levels of reluctance towards accepting Jews as fellow citizens, with 32 per cent expressing unwillingness—a figure that topped all countries surveyed. Only 18 per cent of Armenians were open to accepting Jews as family members.

These findings underscore Armenia's complex societal dynamics, including long-standing animosities towards neighbouring nations like Azerbaijan and Türkiye, which sometimes manifest alongside anti-Semitic sentiments. While Armenia's Jewish community is relatively small, these attitudes reflect broader issues within Armenian society regarding tolerance and prejudice.