Armenian bishop urges lawyers to defend church autonomy
Hovakimyan addressed Armenian legal associations operating abroad and in Armenia, calling on them to act as a unified professional community
YEREVAN, Armenia (MNTV) — Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan, primate of the Armenian Diocese of Canada, has issued a forceful appeal to Armenian lawyers worldwide, urging them to speak out against what he described as government actions undermining the autonomy of the Armenian Apostolic Church and fundamental freedoms of conscience and religion.
In a statement released Tuesday, Hovakimyan addressed Armenian legal associations operating abroad and in Armenia, calling on them to act as a unified professional community committed to protecting pan-Armenian interests and core national values.
The bishop said several decisions adopted by Armenian authorities in recent years have contradicted constitutional, national and spiritual principles, yet have failed to receive adequate legal or public assessment. He pointed in particular to restrictions on the movement of Armenian Apostolic Church clergy and the obstruction of their participation in a scheduled Assembly of Bishops.
“These are not merely administrative issues,” Hovakimyan said, arguing that such actions directly affect freedom of conscience and religion, as well as the internal autonomy of the church. He stressed that international human rights law prohibits restrictions on religious freedom based on political considerations.
Hovakimyan accused the government of portraying what he described as the erosion of traditional Christian values as the protection of human rights, a framing he said distorts both legal norms and moral principles. He also said authorities were treating the church as an executive body subject to state oversight, despite its centuries-long independence from state institutions.
According to the statement, alleged government interference has forced a pan-ecclesial assembly to convene outside Armenia due to concerns over possible obstruction.
Citing Christian teachings and the writings of medieval Armenian jurist Mkhitar Gosh, Hovakimyan said justice is the foundation of legitimate authority and warned that law should not become a tool of the powerful against the weak.
He criticized silence within the legal community on issues affecting church freedom and clergy rights, saying such silence risks being seen as consent or avoidance of moral responsibility.
“A lawyer is not merely a technician,” Hovakimyan said, calling on Armenian legal professionals to act with conscience, civic courage and commitment to the rule of law.
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