The authorities are attempting to dismantle all institutions that, to varying degrees, do not align with the context of their pre-election propaganda. This opinion was expressed by political analyst Armen Badalyan, commenting on the campaign launched against the Armenian Apostolic Church.
“Let us not forget that the Armenian Apostolic Church is a networked institution with clergy who actively engage with the population on various occasions—births, baptisms, weddings, funerals, and more. Additionally, they deliver daily sermons, particularly in rural areas, and visit the homes of villagers. At the same time, the rural population is heavily influenced by state propaganda, particularly through the H1 channel. In this regard, the Church effectively serves as an alternative source of information and wields considerable influence,” the expert explained.
According to Badalyan, the Church has recently been challenging the stereotypes propagated by state television, which has irritated the authorities. “To prevent this, this alternative ‘source of information’—this networked institution—must be eliminated. This is the reason behind the campaign against the Church,” he noted. Furthermore, Badalyan continued, the Armenian Apostolic Church, as a national institution, has maintained the Artsakh Diocese, which contradicts the current authorities’ policy of avoiding any mention of Artsakh. “By preserving the Artsakh Diocese and maintaining a networked structure, the Church poses a threat during the pre-election period, which is why it is being targeted by the authorities,” he emphasized.