15 people arrested in Armenia on charges of preparing to seize power

15 people have been arrested in Armenia on charges of “preparing a terrorist act and seizing power,” the country’s Investigative Committee reports. Among them is the leader of the “Sacred Struggle” protest movement, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan – he has been remanded in custody for two months.

Galstanyan was the leader of protests against the delimitation of Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan. He and his supporters were protesting against the results of the Karabakh war (Armenia lost Karabakh territories – they went to Azerbaijan).

The archbishop’s lawyer, Sergei Harutyunyan, said that his client has been charged under articles on terrorism, unrest, and usurpation of power. He called such words ridiculous, and the trial itself political persecution.

Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that security forces had prevented a “large-scale and sinister plan by the criminal oligarchic clergy” to destabilize the situation in the country and seize power.

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