The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin accused Armenia’s law enforcement and judicial bodies of executing “illegal anti-church instructions” amid an escalating confrontation between the government and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

In a statement released on October 17, the Church condemned the circulation of alleged phone recordings attributed to Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, describing it as part of a coordinated campaign against the Church.

“News websites serving the authorities have circulated recordings of phone conversations allegedly attributable to His Grace Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan. In the context of the authorities’ actions unleashed against the Church - including, in recent days, the detention of dozens of clergymen and the taking of two clergy to imprisonment - it is already evident who is behind this latest act,” the statement read.

The Mother See claimed that Armenia’s entire law enforcement and judicial apparatus is “engaged in carrying out illegal anti-church instructions.” It further accused the authorities of attempting to discredit the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, and foment hostility toward the Church and its clergy.

“The purpose of circulating such expressions allegedly attributable to the Catholicos of All Armenians is to discredit and incite enmity toward the Church and clergy. The violation of the confidentiality of telephone conversations is itself a crime and a separate topic to which, we hope, the law enforcement bodies will give an appropriate response,” the statement concluded.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan denied allegations that he was behind the recent law enforcement actions against several clergymen suspected of election meddling, saying he has no authority to issue such orders.

Speaking to reporters, Pashinyan said he learned about the arrests from the news, emphasizing that state institutions in Armenia act within their legal powers.

“I do not have the authority to give orders to everyone, and I don’t believe there are officials in Armenia willing to carry out illegal instructions,” he said. “State institutions in Armenia operate within the scope of their delegated powers and rights. I have learned from the news that a report of a crime was made and that there was a response to it,” he added, ruling out any unlawful actions by law enforcement.

The Armenian PM also rejected claims that his administration is “attacking” the Armenian Apostolic Church, amid ongoing tensions with the Church leadership. “There is nowhere in the documents of the Armenian Apostolic Church that states the person holding the position of Catholicos and the Church are the same, or that a bishop and the Church are the same,” Pashinyan said. “There have been numerous cases where a Catholicos was removed from office and left. Did the Church collapse? No. In the past, there have been cases in Armenia where bishops were held criminally responsible and spent years in prison.”

He insisted that the recent developments have no connection to the peace process with Azerbaijan, rejecting speculation that the Church dispute is politically motivated.

Nikol Pashinyan previously accused Catholicos Karekin II of illegitimately holding office, alleging that he violated his vow of celibacy, a claim strongly denied by the Church leadership, which has in turn accused the government of conducting an “anti-church campaign.”

Pashinyan described himself as a “devoted follower of the Armenian Apostolic Church”, saying his criticism is aimed at “those who have desecrated the Church’s sanctities,” not at the institution itself.