Church’s Involvement in Politics Distances It from Its Unifying Mission – François Devedjian

French-Armenian activist and lawyer François Devedjian has issued a statement titled, “On the Role of the Diaspora in the Disagreement Between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Government of the Republic of Armenia.”

In his statement, Devedjian referred to the article “Statement on the Current Conflict Between the Government of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church,” signed on February 12, 2026, by eight prominent representatives of the Diaspora. According to him, the statement raises questions regarding both its bias and its objectives.

Devedjian said that the current conflict between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Government of the Republic of Armenia is harmful not only to the parties directly involved but also to Armenians as a whole. However, he stressed that the causes of the conflict cannot be attributed solely to the Armenian government.

“Condemning the consequences while ignoring the causes is a common tendency in the Diaspora,” he said, adding that government interference in Church governance is also—and especially—a result of actions by the Church aimed at intervening in politics and even matters of sovereignty.

He noted that while issues of church governance should be resolved by the appropriate Church bodies, the Church must also operate within its own boundaries, in the sphere of spirituality and values. According to Devedjian, the Church’s involvement in the political arena distances it from its unifying mission and from its status as a supra-partisan pillar of the nation.

Such intervention, particularly under what he described as “suspiciously close relations with a foreign regime whose support for Armenian sovereignty can be questioned,” seriously undermines the Church’s legitimacy.

In this context, Devedjian suggested that the “well-known Russian-Armenian philanthropist and businessman (…) who was imprisoned for publicly defending the Church’s position” is Samvel Karapetyan, whose ties to Vladimir Putin’s regime, he said, have been known since at least 2018.

He also stated that Diaspora figures could play a more constructive role by acting as independent and objective mediators in the confrontation.

Speaking out against the state by citing history, he added, cannot serve as an absolute justification for future actions and does not contribute to Armenian unity, the strengthening of Armenia’s security, or the legitimacy of the Church.

Devedjian emphasized that the Republic of Armenia has a democratically elected government and is preparing for new elections, allowing citizens to freely determine their future.

“If the Armenian Diaspora wants to help Armenia, strengthen it, and contribute to its stability, it should support the democracy being formed, not those who attack it, directly or indirectly. Whatever choice the citizens of the Republic of Armenia make, the right to determine their future belongs only to them,” he stated.

François Devedjian is the son of the late French-Armenian politician Patrick Devedjian.