Citizen Removed from Church for Safety Reasons, Says Pashinyan

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has clarified the incident that occurred on October 26 at the Hovhannavank Monastery, where a citizen, Hayk Dorunts, was forcibly removed from the church during a "mass" led by a defrocked priest.

“I have requested explanations from the State Protection Service. They indicated that the decision was also made with the consideration of ensuring that citizen's safety, as his behavior could provoke a certain aggression among people. That is why this step was taken,” Pashinyan stated in a conversation with journalists after a government meeting.

The incident occurred when Dorunts interrupted the defrocked cleric's ceremony by stating, “You do not have the right to conduct a mass.”