By obstructing Episcopal Assembly, they show that they accept Catholicos’ decisions – Fr. Paren Arakelyan

Today, a protest was held outside the National Assembly in support of political prisoners in Armenia and our compatriots held hostage in Baku.

Speaking with journalists, Fr. Paren Arakelyan addressed the criminal prosecutions against members of the Supreme Spiritual Council and the observation that the next target could be the Catholicos, noting that nothing surprises him anymore.

He described these prosecutions as violations of the Constitution and the law.

When asked why the authorities fear the Episcopal Assembly, Fr. Paren Arakelyan said he could not say whether they are afraid or not, but emphasized that everyone considers the assembly important, no matter how much they publicly claim not to accept its decisions. “By taking steps to obstruct the Episcopal Assembly, they show that they accept both the Catholicos’ and the Episcopal Assembly’s decisions,” he added.

Fr. Paren did not specify whether the assembly will be held in Armenia, but reminded that it was initially decided to take place in Austria, as there were concerns about safety.