Rights bodies condemn remarks by OSCE secretary general apparently supporting removal of head of Armenian Church

CSI, ACPR, FOREF Europe and Helsinki Committee call on OSCE to reaffirm commitment to protecting religious liberty in Armenia.

ZURICH / YEREVAN — Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has joined Armenian and European human rights groups in condemning comments by OSCE Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu apparently offering support to the Armenian government to remove Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians and head of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church (AAHC).

In a statement issued on July 23, the presidents of the Armenian Center for Political Rights, the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, the Forum for Religious Freedom in Europe, and CSI express “deep concern” over the remarks made by the most senior official of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The recorded comments by Sinirlioğlu, a citizen of Turkey, were obtained by Russian pranksters, who made a telephone call to the OSCE secretary general while pretending to be Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The call was made public on July 8.

Speaking with the person impersonating Pashinyan, the OSCE head agreed to “look into” how his organization might support the Armenian government in the matter of removing the Catholicos.

“For the most senior official of an organisation whose founding commitments include the protection of human rights to entertain such a request—even in passing—is deeply troubling and demands an immediate and public clarification,” the signatories to the statement write.

Without condoning the deception used by the prank callers, the signatories say that Sinirlioğlu’s words “reveal a posture that cannot be reconciled with the responsibilities of his office.”

The signatories call on Sinirlioğlu to:

publicly clarify and retract any suggestion that the OSCE would support the removal of the Catholicos or otherwise interfere in the internal governance of the AAHC;
reaffirm the OSCE’s commitment to protecting freedom of religion or belief in Armenia, consistent with its human dimension commitments; and
engage with the Catholicos to ensure that the rights of the AAHC, its clergy and its faithful are fully respected.

The signatories are John Eibner for CSI, Jan Figel for the Forum for Religious Freedom in Europe, Siranush Sahakyan for the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, and Rafael Ishkhanyan for the ACPR.

CSI President John Eibner with Catholicos Karekin II of the Armenian Apostolic Church. csi

Since May 2025, the Pashinyan government has pursued a systematic and sustained campaign against the AAHC as part of a broader attack on democracy and the rule of law in Armenia.

Pashinyan has publicly called for the removal of Catholicos Karekin II, set out steps to depose him, and levelled unsubstantiated accusations against the Catholicos and senior clergy. Travel bans have been brought against the Catholicos and several bishops, and high-ranking clergymen have been detained on criminal charges that appear politically motivated.

Throughout its history the Armenian Church has played a critical role in preserving the Armenian language, culture and national identity. The Catholicos has sought to defend the rights of the Armenian people, not least those ethnically cleansed from Nagorno Karabakh in 2023.

The government’s actions constitute a state-orchestrated effort to subordinate the church to the government’s will, putting at risk the separation of church and state enshrined in Armenia’s Constitution, the signatories argue.

“Now that Nikol Pashinyan has secured an unprecedented third term in power, it is more important than ever that international institutions hold his government to account,” commented Joel Veldkamp, CSI’s director for Public Advocacy. “We hope the OSCE will address the confusion caused by its secretary general’s remarks promptly.”

About CSI

Christian Solidarity International (CSI) is an interconfessional Christian human rights group, campaigning for religious liberty and human dignity, and assisting victims of religious persecution, victimized children, and victims of catastrophe.

CSI is an NGO with consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Christian Solidarity International was founded in Switzerland in 1977 by Rev. Hans Stückelberger and is active in more than 20 countries with public advocacy initiatives and humanitarian aid projects.

Contact: Patrick Degenhardt | patrick.degenhardt@csi-int.org

Media contact: Dr. Joel Veldkamp | joel.veldkamp@csi-int.org