Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan commented on the search of Russian businessman Samvel Karapetyan in his house in Yerevan and his detention.
"This is not the village of Nizhny Tapr in Kaluga. This is the Republic of Armenia. I hope the taste of the state will remain in your mouth," the prime minister threatened Karapetyan and those who still support the Armenian Apostolic Church on social networks.
According to Armenian media, Karapetyan was detained in Yerevan with the use of special forces after he spoke out in support of the church. The criminal police unit of the Armenian Interior Ministry conducts a search in the house of the businessman of the head of the Tashir Group of Companies.
The detention occurred immediately after Karapetyan made a statement in defense of the Armenian Apostolic Church, with which Pashinyan came into conflict.
"What opinion should I have if a small group, forgetting the history of Armenia, the thousand-year history of the Armenian Church, attacked the Church, the Armenian people?" — Karapetyan told reporters.
He expressed the hope that the situation will be resolved through the participation of political figures for whom what is happening is unacceptable. The businessman stressed that since he has always been close to the Armenian Church and the Armenian people, he will take a direct part in this.
"If the politicians fail, we will take part in it in our own way," Karapetyan promised.