The Union of Informed Citizens (UIC) has issued a statement confirming that it requested an investigation into claims made by Father Aram, a priest from the Hovhannavank Monastery, regarding forced participation in political rallies.
According to the statement, on September 16, Father Aram publicly stated on Armenian Public Television that in 2021, clergy within the Armenian Apostolic Church were coerced into attending campaign rallies organized by a political party.
As coercion to attend public rallies is a criminal offense under both the old and new Criminal Codes, UIC says it submitted a formal crime report to Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office on September 17, requesting an official investigation into the priest’s televised claims.
The group stressed it has no additional information about the alleged crime or those who may have committed it, and that its action was standard protocol in response to any public allegations of crimes against democratic order.
“Compelling people to participate in rallies, or paying them to do so, is a criminal offense, and the state must act to prevent it,” the statement concluded.
Earlier, lawyer Marine Farmanyan confirmed that Daniel Ioannisyan, UIC’s founder, had submitted the report based on Father Aram’s statement. Lawyer Ara Zohrabyan had previously reported that six clergy from the Aragatsotn Diocese, including Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan and five priests, were detained. The Investigative Committee confirmed the detentions and said procedural actions are underway in a criminal case.
