Armenia on the Edge: Internal Chaos Threatens National Survival
BY DR. KEVORK HAGOPJIAN, ESQ.
Never in the modern history of Armenia has political discourse descended to the level of threats to expose one’s private body parts to the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Never have security forces tried to breach the grounds of Etchmiadzin, the soul of Armenian Christian identity, as though storming a fortress. This is not democracy. This is a political and national security crisis masquerading as governance.
Every day brings new shocks from Armenia. Each headline reveals fresh turmoil, leaving concerned Armenians both at home and across the Diaspora waking with anxiety and fear about how much further the country might sink. The relentless pace of crisis is exhausting the nation, inflicting deep psychological wounds as sacred places are violated, public figures humiliated, and political opponents silenced. A country cannot build a stable future on a foundation of trauma.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s recent vulgar rhetoric is not merely indecent. It attacks the very dignity of the state and society. No matter how deeply one may disagree with the Church’s political positions, there are boundaries of respect that leaders must uphold. Crossing those lines signals not strength, but desperation.
It must also be said that the Church is not above criticism. It has faced serious questions over governance, finances, and moments of social and political entanglement. But there is no moral equivalence between the Church’s failings and a government that deploys vulgar threats or sends security forces into sacred spaces. Cracking down on dissent and arresting religious and civic/political figures is not the act of a confident democracy. It signals a government afraid of losing its grip on power. When authorities blur the line between legitimate criticism and alleged conspiracies, they risk silencing not only outspoken opponents but countless ordinary citizens who simply wish to express concern about their nation’s future. Such suppression breeds resentment and pushes some toward radicalization, undermining social cohesion and trust in state institutions.
In recent weeks, authorities have arrested Archbishops Bagrat Galstanyan, Mikael Ajapahyan, philantrophist Garen Garabedian, political figures from ARF and others linked to the Church and the opposition, accusing them of involvement in plots to destabilize the state. The government claims to have uncovered genuine threats.
Perhaps evidence exists. Perhaps…
However, allegations of violent conspiracies cannot become a substitute for democratic debate. They demand transparent, independent judicial scrutiny. Anything less fuels suspicion that Armenia’s legal system is being used selectively to eliminate political rivals rather than protect society.
The danger is compounded by Armenia’s political structure. The ruling Civil Contract party holds a majority in parliament, following and supporting the prime minister’s line and discourse. Without real institutional checks and balances, decisions taken under the banner of national security have become tools for political survival rather than measures based on genuine threats.
Some citizens view the government’s path as a necessary break with the past, defining success as maintaining the current borders of the Republic of Armenia and avoiding further conflicts. Others see it as an abandonment of deeper national responsibilities and identity. This divide is growing, leaving many Armenians disillusioned and convinced that democratic change is impossible when institutions appear too closely tied to a single political force.
Silence from large parts of the public should not be mistaken for agreement. More often, it reflects fear, exhaustion, and the instinct to seek safety in what appears to be majority opinion. But silence is dangerous in times like these. If the nation remains split between those who speak out and those who retreat into resignation, Armenia’s and Armenians’ future become more fragile with every passing day.
At stake today is not simply a debate over church and state, but the survival of Armenia’s identity as a nation. The Armenian Apostolic Church is more than a religious institution; it is woven into the fabric of Armenian national consciousness, serving as a symbol of resilience through genocide, foreign rule, and cultural erasure. Yet the current crisis reveals how this historic unity is fracturing. What was once an inseparable bond between spiritual leadership and national identity is now being pulled into political warfare, weaponized by power struggles and personal vendettas.
This conflict is no longer about theology or even governance within the church. It is about whether the pillars that have long kept Armenian society intact can withstand being dragged into the mud of vulgar political fights and state repression. The real danger is that institutions meant to unite Armenians—faith, history, culture—are being turned into battlefields, leaving society vulnerable and traumatized.
Suggesting that today’s crisis is merely a struggle between secularism and religion misunderstands Armenian history. What is happening is not an abstract clash of principles but a political conflict spilling into sacred spaces and threatening national symbols. To fracture this unity through vulgar attacks and violent confrontations is to inflict lasting wounds on the nation’s soul.
Meanwhile, there are forces beyond Armenia’s borders eager to see the country divided, weakened, and distracted by internal conflict. An Armenia consumed by fighting itself cannot defend its interests or sovereignty. Those who benefit from seeing Armenians turn against each other would gladly exploit a nation exhausted by political trauma.
In moments of national crisis, the President of the Republic has a duty to rise above partisan battles, defend constitutional principles, and act as a moral voice. Although Armenia’s president holds limited executive powers, the office carries the responsibility to safeguard constitutional order and national unity. Yet today, the president, remains silent, enjoying the privileges of office while offering no meaningful response to the vulgarity in public discourse, the assaults on sacred spaces, or the arrests of religious and political leaders and opposition activists. Silence in such times deepens the perception that state institutions serve only one political faction, leaving citizens feeling abandoned in defending their freedoms and dignity.
There is no single recipe to resolve the crisis Armenia faces. The wounds run deep, the divisions are real, and the stakes could not be higher. Yet certain roadmaps can begin to steer the country away from the edge. Armenia needs a justice system that acts independently, with full transparency, especially when political or religious figures are accused of serious crimes. It needs political leaders capable of self-restraint, who reject vulgarity and recognize that true strength lies in the ability to tolerate criticism and preserve national unity. It needs institutions such as parliament, courts, the presidency that function as genuine checks on power rather than instruments of any single individual or party. And it needs a public discourse grounded in dignity, truth, and a shared understanding of Armenia’s unique historical identity.
The events in Armenia are evolving rapidly. By tomorrow, new facts may emerge that reshape how these crises are understood. Yet one truth remains constant: a nation cannot protect its security, sovereignty, or future if it tears itself apart from within. The current chaos and division sown by internal conflict, humiliation, and the silencing of dissent are as dangerous as the existing external threats to Armenia’s survival and national security. Vulgarity and repression only weaken the country’s resilience and expose it to forces eager to exploit its divisions. In these dark times, Armenia must choose cohesion over fracture, wisdom over anger, and dignity over degradation. The greatest safeguard for national security is a society united in purpose, even when divided in opinion. A nation capable of disagreement without self-destruction, and strong enough to stand together against those who would see it fall.
Dr. Kevork Hagopjian, Esq. is an attorney and human rights advocate with expertise in international law, minority rights, civil litigation, and community engagement. He is a member of the Executive Board of the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region. He holds a Ph.D. in Law from the University of Vienna, along with two LL.M. degrees in Public International Law from SOAS, University of London and U.S. Law from George Mason University as well as an LL.B. from University of Aleppo. His doctoral research led to the publication of a book on “The Rights of Armenian Minorities in Lebanon and Turkey Under National and International Law.” In addition to legal practice, he facilitates dialogue and peace-building efforts in divided or post-conflict communities.
