A Demand for Government to Publicly Guarantee Personal Immunity to Allow Church Assemblies to Resolve Issues
Last week, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADLP)
Press published its appeal. It pointed out the circumstances
hindering the convening of the Episcopal Assembly invited
by the Catholicos of All Armenians in the Mother See of Holy
Ehmiadzin. It then called on the state authorities of Armenia and
Prime Minister Pashinyan personally to return relations with the
Mother See to a normal course in order to avoid the ignoble
prospect of the issue being brought before international courts. This
suggestion received wide acceptance and consensus in Armenia and
the diaspora.
Instead of any positive change in the situation, anti-canonical
actions continue with increasing intensity. In particular, faulty and
unacceptable “liturgies” have been organized with the participation
of defrocked or hierarchically disobedient clergy in various sanctu-
aries with the demonstrative participation of Prime Minister
Pashinyan and his administration. On the other hand, the already
dire conditions and health of the four hierarchs and other clergy-
men who were thrown into prison cells after show trials, as well as
of the philanthropist Samuel Karapetyan and other political prison-
ers, are gradally worsening. This deepens the atmosphere of fear
among clergymen, especially those willing to participate in the
Episcopal Conference, and the laity who might wish to accompany
them to travel to Armenia.
Based on the above, we find it necessary to demand that Prime
Minister Pashinyan publicly give lasting guarantees of entry into
and free movement within the borders of the Republic of Armenia,
inviolability of person, absolute freedom of speech and opinion, and
physical security, without discrimination, respecting the relevant
articles of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and interna-
tional agreements on the freedom to organize assemblies and meet-
ings, to all clergymen and their companions who are ready to par-
ticipate in the Assembly and their companions. This guarantee is
necessary now so that the currently postponed Episcopal and, in
case of need, National Ecclesiastical assemblies may be convened.
It is not the first time that the ADLP Press, led by its board of
editors, has come out in defense of the Armenian Apostolic
Holy Church, the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin and the
Catholicos of All Armenians, in order to support the internal
well-being of the Armenian Church, its statutory rights, and its
pan-Armenian mission.
Similarly, this is not the first time that it raises the issue of con-
vening an Episcopal Assembly and, through it, preparing and hold-
ing a National Ecclesiastical Assembly, in order to shed light on the
internal and external problems faced by the Armenian Church, as it
believes that our national Church is capable of bringing itself out of
the crisis through legal means, without unlawful external intefer-
ence.
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADLP) Press
. Azg (Armenia)
. Abaka (Canada)
. Arev (Egypt)
. Zartonk (Lebanon)
. Nor Ashkharh (Greece)
. Baykar (Canada)
