Canadian community views authorities’ actions against Church as deliberate move – Sevag Belian

Recent domestic political developments in Armenia, particularly the government’s policy toward the Armenian Apostolic Church, have caused serious concern within the Diaspora, Sevag Belian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Canada, said in an interview with Alpha News.

He noted that, despite their everyday activities, the Canadian Diaspora closely follows all developments in Armenia and views them within the broader context of systemic challenges facing the country.

“What is happening today around the Armenian Apostolic Church cannot be regarded as an isolated issue. It should be understood as a deliberate and calculated political move by the current authorities, aimed at consolidating their positions domestically ahead of the upcoming elections,” he said.

According to Belian, the Church remains a unique national institution that continues to defend national values and the traditional understanding of identity, while maintaining a high level of public trust.

“That is precisely why the Armenian Apostolic Church has become a target for the authorities. In the Diaspora, particularly in Canada, this is unequivocally condemned,” he emphasized.