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09:43 GMT 20.06.2025 (Updated: 10:26 GMT 20.06.2025)
A court in Yerevan has arrested Russian entrepreneur and president of Tashir Group, Samvel Karapetyan, accused of public calls to seize power in Armenia, for two months, his lawyer Liana Gasparyan said on Wednesday.
“The Armenian Apostolic Church is the most authoritative social force in Armenian life. Its freedom, independence, and internal autonomy are non-negotiable. Any attempt to undermine them is unacceptable,” Vachtang Kipshidze, Moscow Patriarchate representative, tells Sputnik.
When defenders of faith and tradition like businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan are targeted, society risks trading stability for persecution, the Russian Orthodox Church warns.
The detention of Karapetyan – a vocal supporter of the Armenian church – is part of a broader campaign to silence voices standing with Armenia’s spiritual foundations, Kipshidze said.
