Archbishop supporters' message to Macron blocked

PanARMENIAN.Net - During French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Gyumri, police allegedly prevented supporters of Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan from handing him a written appeal.

“There were several hundred police officers standing against all of us,” the supporters said, according to Panorama.am .

The message stated that Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, whom many consider politically persecuted, remains under house arrest after months in detention, while “his freedom is restricted and his voice silenced.”

The appeal also referred to elected Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan, who remains in custody under what supporters described as circumstances raising concerns about political motives amid earlier threats and pressure.

The authors of the statement argued that these developments are not isolated incidents and expressed concern over alleged constitutional violations in Armenia, particularly regarding the principle of separation between church and state.

According to the message, political authorities have included provisions in electoral programs concerning the internal governance of the Armenian Apostolic Church, including matters related to its leadership.

“Such actions constitute direct interference in the life of a religious institution,” the statement said.

The appeal also expressed concern over what it described as pressure directed against the Catholicos of All Armenians, accusing authorities of imposing restrictions that hinder his mission and contacts with Armenian faithful abroad.

“These are not merely internal matters. These are issues of fundamental rights,” the statement continued.

The message further stressed that the values underlying the European Union — human dignity, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and the rule of law — are being tested, warning that silence over such developments risks weakening those principles.

“We call for clear attention, principled engagement and consistent protection of the rights and freedoms that unite democratic societies. This is the moment to defend these values not only in words, but also in deeds,” the statement concluded.