BRATISLAVA (Realist English). A meeting of the Committee for the Defense of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) and Christianity in Armenia was held in the capital of Slovakia. Participants demanded the immediate release of high-ranking church hierarchs and accused the Armenian authorities of “unprecedented repression.”
The meeting was attended by Committee Chairman Ashot Grigoryan, former Slovak Prime Minister Ján Čarnogurský, and renowned international lawyer Robert Amsterdam. Also participating were the AAC representative in Russia, Father Ovanes, and associate of President Donald Trump, Guido Lombardi.
Ashot Grigoryan, Chairman of the Committee, stated: “We demand the immediate release of three archbishops, a bishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and other individuals who have become victims of political persecution. The goal of our appeal to the international community is to exert diplomatic pressure on the government of Nikol Pashinyan to stop the campaign of unprecedented repression against the Armenian Apostolic Church and its supreme leader.”
Robert Amsterdam, presenting the AAC defense plan, noted: “We propose a five-step strategy, including intensifying cooperation with the OSCE, the EU, and the Council of Europe; direct appeals to heads of state; participation in international summits; initiating legal proceedings; and seeking spiritual support from the Vatican as the oldest Christian church in the world.”
Father Ovanes, AAC representative in Russia, emphasized: “The Church, under the leadership of Catholicos Garegin II, acts strictly in accordance with its authority and existing rules. We consistently explain this position to both the Russian public and the Armenian diaspora.”
Ján Čarnogurský drew a historical parallel: “In 1988, a candlelight demonstration in Bratislava became a symbol of the defense of religion and civil liberties. Today we face a similar challenge.”
Guido Lombardi confirmed international support: “I fully endorse all the Committee’s proposals and will actively promote these goals in the USA, including at the upcoming interfaith conference in Washington.”
The Committee was established on November 18, 2025, in response to what it calls schismatic actions by the Armenian government. Participants noted that 2026 marks 1725 years since the adoption of Christianity as the state religion in Armenia (301 AD), making the AAC a unique historical institution facing, in their view, attempts at liquidation.
Earlier, an appeals court in Armenia ruled to keep Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan, head of the chancellery of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, in custody. Also in detention are Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, head of the Aragatsotn Diocese; Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, head of the Tavush Diocese; and Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, head of the Shirak Diocese.
