Russian–Armenian Tycoon Karapetyan Placed under House Arrest

Tensions between the government and the Church have reached a peak since late May, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accusing Catholicos Karekin II and other senior clergy of breaking their celibacy vows, rendering them ineligible for office. As of December, four high-ranking priests have been detained on various charges. The most serious allegation, however, remains Pashinyan’s claim that Karekin II and his brother, Archbishop Yezras of the Diocese of New Nakhichevan and Russia, maintain ties with foreign intelligence services.

Armenian authorities viewed Karapetyan’s remark in June as a threat, and hours later raided and searched Karapetyan’s mansion in Yerevan,  remanding him to pre-trial detention.

Since Karapetyan’s arrest, the authorities have raided, inspected, or threatened to nationalize several of Karapetyan’s businesses, though they have denied that these actions were politically motivated or connected to his arrest.

For decades, Karapetyan has remained largely outside politics, instead gaining recognition for his business empire and as a benefactor who, among other things, sponsored the renovation of the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Armenia’s oldest and most important church.

Weeks after his detention, Karapetyan announced plans to create a “fundamentally new political force” through which he could cooperate with “like-minded people.”

Although he submitted a political bid while in detention, his dual citizenship effectively prevents him from running for prime minister under Armenian law.

Karapetyan’s nephew Narek Karapetyan is now leading the political campaign called Our Way, echoing Karapetyan’s pro-Church remarks.

(This article originally appeared on www.oc-media.org on December 31.)