Detained Armenian Archbishops Launch Hunger Strike in Protest
Church leaders mark Constitution Day by condemning state actions as unconstitutional.
YEREVAN — Two detained archbishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bagrat Galstanyan and Mikayel Ajapahyan, declared a one-day hunger strike on July 5 to protest what they call unconstitutional persecution by Armenian authorities.
In a statement released by Ajapahyan’s legal team, the archbishops announced the strike in connection with Armenia’s Constitution Day.
Archbishop Bagrat, leader of the “Sacred Struggle” opposition movement, was arrested on June 26 on allegations of plotting terrorist acts and attempting to seize power.
Ajapahyan was detained the following day, accused of inciting power seizure, undermining sovereignty, and attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.
