Businessman Samvel Karapetyan, arrested in Armenia, has declared his resolve to continue supporting the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) despite potential opportunities for release and business restoration. This was revealed in an interview on November 7 with journalist Tucker Carlson by Narek Karapetyan, coordinator of the Mer Dzev movement and nephew of the entrepreneur.
Narek Karapetyan stated that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is conducting a campaign against the AAC, sparking widespread public discontent. He emphasized that Pashinyan’s actions against the church are deeply unpopular, with 90% of citizens opposing them. The nephew highlighted that Samvel Karapetyan intentionally refused to yield to authorities to safeguard his religious beliefs.
“He could live peacefully and resume his business, but he chooses faith over compromise,” Narek Karapetyan said. “Religion is paramount. Just as early Christians fought for their convictions, Samvel Karapetyan faces similar challenges today.”
The detention of Samvel Karapetyan, which emerged on June 18, stemmed from charges of inciting power seizure in Armenia, leading to a two-month arrest. On July 3, the Armenian parliament passed legislation enabling the nationalization of his company, “Electric Networks of Armenia,” drawing opposition claims of illegality. On July 15, opposition parties petitioned the Constitutional Court to declare the law unconstitutional.
