Armenian Apostolic Holy Church Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

By an unlawful decision of the Head of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, clergy authorized by the Armenian Church have been prohibited from entering places of detention.

Thus, the Head of the Penitentiary Service has effectively suspended the spiritual ministry of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in penitentiary institutions and, at the same time, disregarding applicable legal norms and bypassing the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, has entered into employment contracts with individual clergymen.

This step constitutes yet another manifestation of a deliberate policy aimed at restricting the pastoral mission of the Armenian Church in public life as guaranteed by law. Similar actions have already taken place within the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and in the education sector.

Article 10 of the Law “On the Relations Between the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church” enshrines the Armenian Church's mission to provide spiritual care in places of detention. In turn, Article 17 of the Law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” recognizes the spiritual mission of the Armenian Church in penitentiary institutions as the exclusive prerogative of the Armenian Church and imposes upon the state the obligation not to obstruct such activity.

In this regard, it is unacceptable that the Head of the Penitentiary Service, disregarding the agreement concluded between the agency under his authority and the Armenian Church, has unilaterally assumed authority over the organization of spiritual ministry in penitentiary institutions. It must be clearly stated that, in accordance with the above-mentioned laws, as well as the agreement between the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, the entity authorized to carry out spiritual ministry is not an individual priest, but the Armenian Church itself.

Such a practice constitutes a gross interference in the internal life of the Church. It disrupts its canonically established and organized pastoral ministry, turning it into a sphere of individual initiative and administrative arbitrariness. The continuing unlawful actions against the Church leave no doubt that the ruling political force has elevated anti-church policy to the level of state policy, which is destructive in nature and therefore deserving of the strongest condemnation.

For many years, spiritual ministry in penitentiary institutions has been an important mission of the Armenian Church, aimed at the spiritual care of inmates, their moral transformation through repentance, and their dignified return to society.

The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin calls upon the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia to respect the law and the established ecclesiastical order, to refrain from obstructing the Church's mission, and to restore the normal functioning of spiritual ministry in penitentiary institutions.