Zhoghovurd newspaper of Armenian writes as follows, in particular: Zhoghovurd daily has received information from authorities’ circles, according to which [PM] Nikol Pashinyan has set a goal to dethrone the Catholicos of All Armenians on the [anniversary] day of his enthronement—October 27. Nikol Pashinyan and [his] teammates “present” the repressions against the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church as the so-called “need for reforming the church,” and have set a goal to take decisive steps before October 27 towards the internal governance of the church.

Let us recall: it was on October 27, 1999, that the Catholicos of All Armenians was enthroned, and now, 26 years later, the CC [i.e. the ruling Civil Contract Party and its parliamentary faction] has decided to challenge the results of the catholicosal elections by attacking the church.

Until then, [Armenian law enforcement will continue the pressures on the clergy [of the Armenian Apostolic Church], especially those who are relatives of the Catholicos or close to his circles, as happened in the case of the two-month detention of Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, Primate of the Diocese of Aragatsotn, nephew of the Catholicos.

They will raid the church also without hesitation. According to the commentary of the authorities’ representatives, “clergymen are also citizens, and if anyone breaks the law, they must answer [for it].”