NDP Council condemns criminal prosecution of Catholicos of All  Armenians and senior clergy

ArmInfo.  The Council of the National Democratic Pole (NDP) has condemned the criminal prosecution of His Holiness Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and senior  clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC).

As noted in a statement received by ArmInfo, the Council emphasized  that turning issues related to internal church structure and  canonical law into a subject of criminal proceedings is a gross and  inadmissible intervention of state power into the autonomy of the  Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC)." "Issues concerning the status of  bishops, their service, the administration of dioceses, as well as  their behavior and personal life, can be considered and resolved  exclusively within the framework of canonical law and the internal  procedures of the Church," the NDP noted.

The Council stated that this step by the authorities contradicts the  Constitution of Armenia and current legislation, which recognize the  exclusive mission of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the spiritual  life of the Armenian people, the preservation of national culture,  and the strengthening of national identity, and guarantee the  autonomy of religious organizations and freedom of religion. "Even  during the most difficult periods in the history of the Armenian  people, foreign conquerors and rulers did not dare resolve the  differences between them and the Armenian Church through criminal  prosecution or by force of state to change the canonical order of the  Armenian Apostolic Holy Church. What the Armenian authorities are  resorting to today is not only legal or political arbitrariness, but  also a blow to the national dignity of the Armenian people," the  Council emphasized.

In this regard, the NDP also mentioned that the Armenian Apostolic  Church is neither an ordinary structure nor a public organization.  "For centuries, it has been one of the main pillars of the spiritual,  cultural, and national existence of the Armenian people, deprived of  their own statehood. The state's encroachment on the canonical order  of the Church means undermining one of the foundations of the  Armenian people's existence and weakening the foundation of national  identity, internal unity, and cooperation between Armenia and the  Diaspora. Criminal pressure against the Catholicos and the senior  clergy of the Church testifies to the dangerous desire of the  authorities, through state coercion, to subjugate those national  institutions that do not serve the political interests of the ruling  group and the forces behind it. This is unacceptable and must be met  with decisive opposition from Armenians in Armenia and the Diaspora,  as well as human rights and international organizations," the NDP  believes. 

In light of the above, the Council demanded an immediate end to the  politically motivated criminal prosecution of the Catholicos of All  Armenians and other clergy, and the exclusion of any interference by  state bodies in matters of the canonical structure and internal  governance of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church. Furthermore,  constitutional legitimacy must be restored, the Church's right to  self-government must be respected, and officials who abused their  power and organized illegal prosecutions must be held accountable.  "The defense of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church is not the defense  of any individual or clergyman. It is the defense of the national  identity of the Armenian people, their historical memory, spiritual  sovereignty, and right to exist," the NDP Council concluded.