The Constitution is not a menu. there can be no favorite and no favorite clauses; That

“In today’s relations between the state and the church, the state itself must be protected from the public authorities,” said Davit Harutyunyan, deputy president of the RPA, executive director of the “Luys” Foundation, during the parliamentary hearing “Regarding the current state of relations between the state and the national church” organized by the “I have honor” faction in the National Assembly.

He noted that, as a rule, the issue related to the church is discussed from the point of view of national identity and spiritual life, but the statement deliberately addresses this issue only from the point of view of the Constitution.

According to Harutyunyan, the statement discussed today is about one thing: the borders of the legal state. According to him, one of the important parts of those borders is the state-church demarcation, which includes the principle of non-interference, the guarantees of freedom of conscience and religion, the autonomy of religious communities, this is the border drawn by the Constitution.

“There cannot be favorite and unloved constitutional provisions, the Constitution is not a menu from which one chooses suitable dishes. The word itself suggests the essence: Constitution, the limit was set by the Constitution. And the border, whether it is the border of the state or the border of law, is either kept or trampled. Whoever he is, Christian or Muslim, Buddhist or pagan, agnostic or atheist, everyone has no right to violate the Constitution. The main thesis of this statement is as follows: the Constitution has demarcated the powers of the state and the church, any action beyond those limits is prohibited, regardless of who is in the state. at the helm, at the helm of the church,” said Davit Harutyunyan.

He tried to explain with facts what is really happening at present.

“Let’s start with the facts. In the last year, our law enforcement officers have shown a special zeal in following the church calendar. It is unfortunate that the Investigative Committee feverishly waits for the Sunday liturgy for only one reason, precisely during the hours of the Holy liturgy, the investigators have an urgent desire to talk with the priests in the investigative department.

And our courts have decided that if the church has excommunicated someone, that is not the end, the person can go to court and bring back his priestly gift. Imagine for a moment the ridiculous situation: the judge slams his gavel on the table and announces: “For the sake of RA, I return the grace of the Holy Spirit to you. Go perform your liturgy.”

If the state implements reforms within the church through an investigator and a judge, interferes with the liturgy, it means that we are not building a democracy, but starting a new state religion, a religion where the prime minister is the head of religion, and investigators and prosecutors are apostles.

There is only one technical detail left to be resolved in order to end this tyranny, to call the Code of Criminal Procedure the Holy Book and that’s it.

2025-2026 5 servants of the Armenian Church were arrested on trumped-up charges: three archbishops, one bishop and one priest. National philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan was deprived of his liberty for supporting the church, on January 31, 2026, 6 bishops of the Holy Etchmiadzin Mother See received the status of accused and their exit from RA was prohibited.

On February 14, a criminal case was initiated against the Catholicos of All Armenians. All of them were deprived of the opportunity to participate in the Episcopal meeting planned in Austria. On March 20, the investigator did not allow the Catholicos of All Armenians to travel to Georgia to participate in the funeral ceremony of Ilya II.

They were probably afraid that the Catholicos would ask for political asylum in Georgia and never return to Armenia. And finally this week’s case, on March 29, the day of Palm Sunday, twin brothers Davit and Mikayel Minasyan were arrested in St. Anna Church, both of them are brilliant students, decent and devout young people who go to church every week.

David is accused of trying to hit the prime minister, although I think everyone saw the video, except for the investigator and the prime minister. Mikael is also accused of allegedly helping Davit hit the Prime Minister. Their apartment was searched, they were looking for any connection with any party, they did not find it, instead they found prayer books.

As a result, a two-month detention for a schoolboy holding a prayer book in the church. This is not only a criminal persecution of the young people who dared not to show due respect to the Prime Minister’s entourage entering the shrine, this is an investigative intimidation of the entire society. What I said are facts, not comments,” explained Davit Harutyunyan.

According to him, it may seem strange at first glance, but in today’s state-church relations, the state itself must be protected from public authorities. “That defense starts here, from this hall,” said Harutyunyan.

Ma:n:ramas on 168TV video.

—