A search conducted in the apartment of students detained following the incident at Saint Anna Church yielded no findings, investigators from Armenia’s Investigative Committee recorded, Panorama.am reports.
The search warrant cited “the possible existence of agreements regarding the planning and execution of violence against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, including written documents, storage media, devices, and other items reflecting such alleged arrangements.”
The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin responded to statements by Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office Arayik Harutyunyan, who had blamed the Armenian Church and the Catholicos of All Armenians for the incident, News.am reports.
According to the Mother See, “the incident should be viewed as a consequence of the authorities’ anti-church campaign.”
“We deeply regret what occurred at Saint Anna Church on Palm Sunday, which disrupted the festive and prayerful atmosphere of the sanctuary. The incident recorded during the Prime Minister’s brief visit should be seen as a result of the authorities’ anti-church campaign and unlawful, non-canonical actions, which have offended the religious feelings of believers and provoked such reactions. Therefore, instead of making unfounded accusations against the Armenian Church and the Catholicos of All Armenians, it is necessary to reconsider and review the authorities’ stance toward the Church, clergy, and national-spiritual values. These positions have harmed the nation, divided our people, and led to such regrettable phenomena.”
