Armenia authorities` actions unheard of over history - Samvel  Karapetyan 

ArmInfo.  Samvel Karapetyan, a Russian businessman of Armenian descent who was arrested earlier in Yerevan for supporting the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), responded to the Divine Liturgy celebrated by defrocked clergyman Stepan Asatryan at the Hovhannavank Monastery and the participation of the current Armenian authorities.

In a message from the Armenian National Security Service detention  center, Karapetyan noted that the events of yesterday and the  preceding days confirmed his most dire predictions. "A small group  has demonstrated that they are literally ready to trample over every  sacred object. To maintain power, these people have committed acts  unseen in the history of the Armenian people, attempting to hostilely  disrupt the order of the Armenian Apostolic Church and defame the  Holy Liturgy through their interference.

Thus, this government has taken a new "step" on the path to national  schism, earning the condemnation and anger of all Armenians. We can  be sure that this small group will not stop here in their attempts to  attack and discredit our most important national institution-our  Motherland, Etchmiadzin. However, they must know that we will  continue to defend our values and sacred objects, just as we did  centuries ago, yesterday, and will do tomorrow. No hardships can stop  our march to victory.

No amount of imprisonment can break the will of today's many  political prisoners-Archbishops Mikael, Bagrat, and Mkrtich, dozens  of Gyumri residents, including Ruben Mkhitaryan, who is responsible  for the "Our Way" movement in Gyumri, and our other friends and  colleagues-to live free from tyranny and foreign influence, guided by  true Christian values, restoring dignity, and creating a prosperous  civil society in Armenia. "We will do it - 'Our way,'" Karapetyan  said in his message.

As a reminder, Samvel Karapetyan was detained in Yerevan on the night  of June 18 by Armenian law enforcement agencies after expressing  support for the Armenian Apostolic Church. This was followed by open  threats from the Prime Minister. On the night of June 19, the Yerevan  Court of General Jurisdiction remanded Samvel Karapetyan in custody  for two months. He is being held in the Yerevan-Kentron Penitentiary  (the notorious "KGB basement" in the National Security Service  building). He is accused of publicly calling for a takeover of power  in the country. Karapetyan denies guilt. Furthermore, in July, the  head of the Tashir Group of Companies was charged with new money  laundering. In October, the Anti- Corruption Court extended  Karapetyan's detention once again, this time for another month.