Durgarian was among several hundred government loyalists who gathered outside the Echmiadzin cathedral last Thursday as part of Pashinian’s efforts to depose the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Garegin II. The latter led a special prayer service there attended by thousands of his supporters, among them opposition leaders and prominent public figures.
Scores of riot police were deployed around the cathedral to separate the rival groups. The police did not prevent a number of Pashinian supporters from attempting to burst into the cathedral at the end of the service. They were pushed back by priests and laymen. One of the priests, Father Vrtanes Baghalian, suffered a serious heart attack in the melee.
Baghalian said on Monday that the attackers were directed by Durgarian. Videos of the incident showed Durgarian standing on the tomb of an 18th century Armenian Catholicos and seemingly encouraging the aggressive men.
The Opera director, Karen Durgarian, defended his cousin in an interview with Aravot.am published late on Monday.
“If you look closely at that video, you'll see that there were quite a few people there,” he said. “Many fell to the ground and couldn't even breathe because they were so cramped. My cousin just tried to get up so he could get some air.”
Garnik Danielian, an opposition lawmaker who was at the scene of the scuffles, insisted on Tuesday that Vrezh Durgarian committed not only “blasphemy” but also hooliganism punishable by the Armenian Criminal Code. Danielian submitted a formal complaint to the Armenian police shortly after the incident.
Law-enforcement authorities have still not responded to it. The Office of the Prosecutor-General indicated on Tuesday no criminal proceedings have been launched against Vrezh Durgarian.
“Law-enforcement bodies are reluctant to investigate the incident,” said Danielian. He claimed that the Durgarian has not been even fired because Pashinian personally spearheads the campaign against Garegin.
Opposition leaders and other government critics fear that the authorities will arrest the Catholicos and/or seize his official residence in the coming days. One Armenian bishop and three archbishops are already in jail, facing different criminal charges rejected by them as politically motivated.
