Christian Solidarity International Condemns Arrests of Armenian Clergy

Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has issued a statement (https://x.com/REPUBLICPRESS_/status/1940452715899113695) condemning the arrest of senior Armenian clergy, including Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan. The organization called on Armenian authorities to release the imprisoned archbishops and other political detainees and to respect the separation of church and state.

CSI criticized what it described as a wave of coercive actions by the Armenian government against the Armenian Apostolic Church and noted that the crackdown followed the participation of Catholicos Karekin II in a World Council of Churches conference, where he spoke about the protection of Armenian Christian heritage in Nagorno Karabakh.

The statement also referenced French President Emmanuel Macron’s public expression of “solidarity” with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during this period of intensified arrests. Macron had voiced support for “democracy,” “peace,” and “open borders” in messages on his official X account, without addressing the church-related detentions.

CSI warned against government interference in the internal affairs of the Armenian Church and called on France and other EU member states to stand in solidarity with victims of repression rather than those responsible for it.

“CSI urges the Armenian authorities to release the incarcerated archbishops and all other political prisoners, and to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of the Armenian Apostolic Church,” said Dr. John Eibner, President of Christian Solidarity International.

“CSI furthermore calls on France and all EU member states to stand in solidarity with victims of repression as opposed to perpetrators of repression.”