Bagrat Galstanyan

Last updated: May 29, 2026

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan emerged in spring 2025 as the most prominent face of Armenian opposition to the Pashinyan government, leading the “Holy Struggle” movement that drew tens of thousands of demonstrators to the streets of Yerevan. His demands centered on the reversal of territorial concessions made to Azerbaijan and what he described as the government’s systematic dismantling of Armenian state institutions and national identity.

In June 2025, Galstanyan was arrested on charges of plotting a coup against the government. His detention was widely condemned by opposition groups, the Armenian diaspora , and international human rights observers as politically motivated. Groong has covered his rise as an opposition figure, the movement he led, and the legal proceedings against him, treating his case as a key indicator of the state of civil liberties and the church-state confrontation in Armenia.

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Bagrat Galstanyan.

Arthur Khachatryan - Artsakh Negotiations, Armenian Domestic Politics | Ep 455, Jul 27, 2025 [EP455]

Posted on Sunday, Jul 27, 2025 | Category: Georgia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Human Rights, Ukraine, Genocide

Guest:

Topics:

  • Artsakh Negotiations
  • Armenian Domestic Politics

Episode 455 | Recorded: July 25, 2025

Pashinyan Meets Aliyev as Armenia Cracks Down on Opposition and Church | Ep 453, Jul 13, 2025 [EP453]

Posted on Sunday, Jul 13, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Armenian Church, Iran, Economy, Israel, NATO, Middle East, Ukraine | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Pashinyan meets Aliyev in Abu Dhabi
  • Continued Persecution of Church and Opposition

Episode 453 | Recorded: July 13, 2025

Pashinyan Meets Aliyev as Armenia Cracks Down on Opposition and Church | Ep 453, Jul 13, 2025 [EP453]

Posted on Sunday, Jul 13, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Armenian Church, Iran, Economy, Israel, NATO, Middle East, Ukraine

Topics:

  • Pashinyan meets Aliyev in Abu Dhabi
  • Continued Persecution of Church and Opposition

Episode 453 | Recorded: July 13, 2025

Sergei Melkonian - Israel & Iran, Opposition Crackdown, Pashinyan in Istanbul | Ep 449, Jun 22, 2025 [EP449]

Posted on Thursday, Jun 26, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran, Israel, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Church, Economy, China, Middle East | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Israel and Iran
  • Crackdown on the Opposition
  • Pashinyan in Istanbul
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 449 | Recorded: June 25, 2025

Sergei Melkonian - Israel & Iran, Opposition Crackdown, Pashinyan in Istanbul | Ep 449, Jun 22, 2025 [EP449]

Posted on Thursday, Jun 26, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran, Israel, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Church, Economy, China, Middle East

Guest:

Topics:

  • Israel and Iran
  • Crackdown on the Opposition
  • Pashinyan in Istanbul
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 449 | Recorded: June 25, 2025

Arthur Khachatryan - Mirzoyan in Moscow, Kostanyan in Tehran, Mher Grigoryan on the Border, FIS Annual Report, Silence of the Lambs | Ep 409, Jan 26, 2025 [EP408]

Posted on Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Economy, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Armenian Church, Armenian Genocide, Iran, European Union, Genocide, Syria, Lebanon, NATO, Middle East, Ukraine, Human Rights | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • Mirzoyan in Moscow
  • Vahan Kostanyan in Tehran
  • Mher Grigoryan on the Border (concessions)
  • FIS Annual Report 2025
  • The Silence of the Lambs

Episode 408 | Recorded: January 29, 2025

Arthur Khachatryan - Mirzoyan in Moscow, Kostanyan in Tehran, Mher Grigoryan on the Border, FIS Annual Report, Silence of the Lambs | Ep 409, Jan 26, 2025 [EP408]

Posted on Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Economy, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Armenian Church, Armenian Genocide, Iran, European Union, Genocide, Syria, Lebanon, NATO, Middle East, Ukraine, Human Rights

Guest:

Topics:

  • Mirzoyan in Moscow
  • Vahan Kostanyan in Tehran
  • Mher Grigoryan on the Border (concessions)
  • FIS Annual Report 2025
  • The Silence of the Lambs

Episode 408 | Recorded: January 29, 2025

Hrant Mikaelian - Commemorating the 44-Day War, Armenia Azerbaijan Talks, Draft 2025 State Budget, | Ep 371 - Sep 29, 2024 [EP371]

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 1, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Economy, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Armenian Church, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, European Union, India | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • Tavush Protests Gain Momentum
  • Pashinyan Pressing Ahead with Land Concessions
  • Poll Results on Tavush Protests

Episode 371 | Recorded: September 30, 2024

Hrant Mikaelian - Commemorating the 44-Day War, Armenia Azerbaijan Talks, Draft 2025 State Budget, | Ep 371 - Sep 29, 2024 [EP371]

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 1, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Economy, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Armenian Church, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, European Union, India

Guest:

Topics:

  • Tavush Protests Gain Momentum
  • Pashinyan Pressing Ahead with Land Concessions
  • Poll Results on Tavush Protests

Episode 371 | Recorded: September 30, 2024