Pashinyan: Arrests of clergy representatives not related to peace process with Azerbaijan

The Armenian Apostolic Church is not being persecuted by the authorities of Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a briefing today, Olaylarr informs via Armenian media.

"There are no attacks on the Armenian Apostolic Church on my part. And the Church"s documents do not say that a person holding the position of Catholicos, or the bishops and the Church, are identical," he said.

The Prime Minister stressed that the arrests of members of the Armenian clergy have nothing to do with the peace process with Azerbaijan:

"No, that"s impossible. There is no connection between the arrests and the peace process with Azerbaijan."

The Armenian Apostolic Church announced on Wednesday that 13 clergymen, including the head of the Aragatsotn Diocese, Mkrtich Proshyan (a nephew of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II), had been detained by the investigative authorities.

The case against the clergy members is reportedly related to coercion to participate in anti-government rallies.