Author and host Anna Sargsyan

"Encroachments against the Armenian Church will land the Armenian authorities in serious trouble before international bodies. Neither the government nor the parliament can decide who leads—or does not lead—a religious organization, how advancement occurs, or which internal regulations are adopted. Commissioning a report and raising certain issues does not create any legitimate grounds for interfering in these matters or for enacting unconstitutional laws. That sort of thing might happen in neighboring Azerbaijan." — Anna Sargsyan in conversation with Anna Melikyan, a lawyer for the NGO "Protection of Rights without Borders."

Is the national agenda a concept of political science? Which institutions drive the realization of this agenda? How do persistent injustice and the humiliation of national dignity erode state security from within, and what roles do the elites and the Church play in this hybrid war? Why does Azerbaijan target our historical narratives, and why has the national agenda become a primary prerequisite for preserving statehood today? A conversation between Anna Sargsyan and political scientist Ara Poghosyan.

What does it mean when the incumbent government's program is unconstitutional, courts are adjudicating unconstitutional proceedings, and the citizen is left unprotected—yet is simultaneously the very source of power?

How are states dismantled and created, and why is an independent judicial system considered an essential attribute of statehood? What constitutes the usurpation of power, and what roles do the social contract and the media play in upholding democracy?

Anna Sargsyan spoke with public administration expert Hovhannes Avetisyan.

 

How is the world moving from globalization to deglobalization, both in the economic and business spheres? It turns out that business is a continuation of geopolitics.

How does Christian leadership differ from just good leadership, and can a businessman be guided by faith and morality? Can being a member of a traditional church hinder doing business with a modern mindset, if the term “Christian leadership” itself originated in Western-Protestant culture? Anna Sargsyan spoke with businessman and social entrepreneur Manuk Hergnyan.

 

How do the illegal processes carried out by the state-legal system against the Armenian Church affect the international reputation of our state, especially when we are initiating EU membership? Is the government program, which contains an unconstitutional provision regarding interference in the internal autonomy of the Armenian Church, illegal? Can the Constitutional Court maintain its principles in this political situation and consider the government program unconstitutional? Anna Sargsyan spoke with Isabella Sargsyan, an international expert on freedom of religion and belief.

What is constitutional immunity? How does it extend to religious organizations? Who is the guarantor of the protection of this right? How will international bodies assess the illegal proceedings initiated against the Catholicos of All Armenians and the clergy? Can the believers of the Armenian Church file a collective lawsuit for the violation of their religious feelings and freedom? Anna Sargsyan spoke with Vahe Torosyan, Candidate of Legal Sciences.

Our times are being described as “days of historical shame.” Legal experts are sounding the alarm that the Republic of Armenia is summoning the Catholicos of All Armenians to court not on charges of committing any crime as a citizen, but precisely for being the Catholicos of All Armenians. What does this mean for the Armenian Church, the Armenian people, and the statehood of Armenia? Anna Sargsyan spoke with Bishop Bishop Zakaria Baghumyan.

Human rights activists are sounding the alarm about dangerous processes that are actually leading to the loss of statehood under the guise of increasing sovereignty. One of its most obvious manifestations is the creation of the illusion of a Western security “umbrella,” which leads the country to Turkish and Azerbaijani dependence, as well as undermines food security and targets the Armenian Church. What is the only way to counter these global programs and what is actually happening? What geopolitical programs does today’s Armenia serve? Anna Sargsyan had an extensive conversation with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Dzyunik Aghajanyan. 

 

Watch the first part of the conversation HERE: www.shoghakat.am/am/telecasts/38391

Human rights activists are sounding the alarm about the unprecedented scale of political persecution and persecution in Armenia. One of its most obvious manifestations is the anti-church campaign, which is being carried out in gross violations of international legal norms. However, there is an opinion that the response of international actors is not commensurate with the violations being committed. Who gave the green light to the Armenian authorities? What geopolitical programs does today's Armenia serve? Anna Sargsyan had an extensive conversation with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Dzyunik Aghajanyan. Watch the first part of the conversation.

How do issues of public importance enter the political agenda and emerge as cases of violation of rights? Is it possible to fight against the “state machine” without international support? What impact did the Amulsar struggle, the loss of Artsakh, and psychological depression have on public activism? When does civil society actually become active, and why is the use of state violence dangerous for the authorities themselves? Anna Sargsyan continued her conversation with human rights activist and political scientist Maya Barkhudaryan.

 

Watch the first part of the conversation HERE.