Tatoyan: Collecting personal data on church leader a criminal offense
Former Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan has denounced the Armenian leadership’s campaign targeting the Armenian Apostolic Church and its senior clergy.
Speaking at the discussion “State-Church Relations: Contemporary Challenges,” Tatoyan asserted that efforts to gather personal data on Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II constitute a criminal offense.
“There is a narrative suggesting this is a conflict between certain church figures and the country’s leader. I believe it’s absolutely not the case,” Tatoyan said.
He accused some government officials of using their public positions to veil illegal actions behind religious language. “They claim to speak as devout church members, yet act in clear violation of the law,” the former ombudsman noted.
According to him, such conduct not only exceeds legal boundaries but may also constitute a crime under Armenia’s Criminal Code.
Tatoyan pointed to unrefuted reports suggesting that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has told law enforcement agencies to collect personal data on Catholicos Karekin II.
“This is an unlawful act which entails criminal liability. Moreover, his statements make it clear this is a premeditated operation with clear political motives,” Tatoyan stressed.
