Armenia's political landscape is heating up as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan finds himself embroiled in a fierce conflict with the Armenian Apostolic Church. With pivotal elections looming, the Prime Minister recently made headlines after offering to expose himself to prove his Christian identity, following allegations by a local priest regarding his circumcision. This peculiar bid to silence critics has captivated his 1.1 million Facebook followers.
The strife intensified after Pashinyan accused the Church's leader, Catholicos Karekin II, of breaking celibacy vows and fathering a child, demanding his resignation. The Church responded with statements defending its integrity. The situation escalated further with the arrest of 16 individuals, including senior cleric Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, who are suspected of plotting a coup against the government.
Among the detained is Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who faced charges for allegedly calling for a power seizure amidst a backdrop of escalating protests. The ongoing conflict has raised concerns of political persecution and the potential for renewed violence in a country still recovering from recent conflicts with Azerbaijan. As the drama unfolds, the eyes of the world remain keenly focused on Armenia's uncertain future.
