Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is involved in an ongoing conflict with the national church

Armenian law enforcement have detained a bishop and five other clergymen, as well as several other people, amid a deepening standoff between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government and the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC).

The detention of Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, head of the Diocese of Aragatsotn, and others was first reported by attorney Ara Zograbyan, who said on Facebook that he was unable to determine the current whereabouts of the arrestees. The Armenian Investigative Committee later confirmed that six members of the clergy are under investigation for alleged abuse of power.

The office of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender, Anahit Manasyan, said it had dispatched a rapid response team to assess the situation.

Relations between Pashinyan’s administration and the AAC have deteriorated sharply in recent years. The government has accused senior church figures of corruption and political interference, while church leaders say Pashinyan is targeting them to weaken a key national institution.

READ MORE: Armenian archbishop sentenced to two years in prison

Earlier this month, Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan was sentenced to two years in prison on charges of inciting a coup – a case he described as politically motivated.

Bishop Proshyan is also the nephew of Catholicos Karekin II, the head of the AAC.