Show Notes

Summary

Joel Veldkamp (CSI) returns to discuss CSI’s latest Armenia visit, including access to jailed clergy and the condition and message of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan. The conversation then shifts to Armenia’s posture at international religious freedom forums, including the IRF Summit in Washington, and whether the widening pressure on bishops (including travel restrictions tied to the planned Austria assembly) is getting outside attention. The episode closes with the emerging international record, including a Council of Europe exchange involving Ararat Mirzoyan and questions about whether the government can sustain its narrative ahead of major upcoming international meetings.

Main Topics Addressed

CSI visits Armenian bishops in jail

What changed since November 2025, when the Ministry of Justice was unresponsive to CSI requests.
CSI’s delegation and what the visit aimed to establish.
Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan’s condition and message after the visit.
The broader context of detentions, surveillance, and pressure against clergy.

IRF Summit and Armenia’s international messaging

The IRF Summit in Washington D.C. and Armenia’s participation.
Whether Armenia-related church repression is being raised at the summit.
The reported travel restrictions and criminal cases used to block senior bishops from traveling to the emergency Episcopal Assembly in Austria.
The appearance (or cancellation) risk around Aram Vardevanyan’s participation.

EU and Council of Europe attention

A Council of Europe moment where Ararat Mirzoyan is questioned about attacks on the Church.
Galstanyan’s public reaction to parliamentary monitoring language about Armenia.
Whether the government can sustain claims that there is no persecution, especially with an EPC meeting planned in Yerevan.

Key Questions Discussed

CSI visit

What prompted this new visit, and what changed since November?
How is Archbishop Galstanyan doing, and what message did he convey?
What did the delegation aim to document or validate during the visit?

IRF Summit

What message did CSI bring to IRF Summit participants?
Did this issue receive attention at the summit, and from whom?
Was Aram Vardevanyan able to speak, and did anyone else raise Armenia?

Parliamentary scrutiny and narrative control

How credible are the allegations that church leaders face prosecution for threats or incitement, versus political persecution?
Can the government keep international scrutiny limited, given upcoming high-visibility meetings (including the EPC gathering in Yerevan)?

Referenced Articles & Sources

Report mentioned at the CSI/ACPR conference: Injustice in Armenia: Mass political persecutions of 2025 (May–September)
Council of Europe exchange amplified by CSI (re: Ararat Mirzoyan questioned):
CSI tweets from Armenia (as referenced in outline):

Wrap-up

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Joel Veldkamp - Christian Solidarity International Visits Armenian Bishops in Jail | Ep 513, Feb 4, 2026 [EP513]

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