Armenian Church TV channel to shut down after loss of public funding

By Alexander Pracht

The Armenian Apostolic Church’s television channel Shoghakat will cease operations on January 1 following the withdrawal of its public funding under a bill adopted by parliament in October. The Armenian government on Thursday approved a decision to disband the legal entity managing the channel.

Shoghakat and the Mother See have not yet publicly commented on the move. It remains unclear whether the Church plans to keep the channel operating independently or establish a replacement structure.

Launched in 2002, Shoghakat has broadcast nationwide and has been fully financed by taxpayer money. In addition to religion-related and cultural coverage and talk shows, the channel has produced documentaries as well as educational and entertainment programs for children. Until October, it was one of three television channels funded by the government, and the only one with a religious affiliation.

Officials justified the withdrawal of taxpayer funding by citing inefficient spending. Civil society groups, however, have argued that the change is politically motivated and linked to ongoing tensions between the ruling Civil Contract party and Catholicos Karekin II, with both sides calling for the other’s resignation.

Government criticism of the Church has included allegations of mismanagement, abuse of tax exemptions, indecency, coercion of clergy to join anti-government protests, and preparations for a coup. Since June, Armenian law enforcement bodies have arrested three regional Church leaders, including Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, who led anti-government protests last year and is currently in pre-trial detention on charges of preparing a terrorist attack. Most other diocesan leaders issued a joint statement last month urging Karekin II to step down, effectively siding with the government.