Billionaire Samvel Karapetyan Jailed After Defending Armenian Church, Accuses Pashinyan of Destroying Security and Losing Diaspora

In a dramatic turn of events that has shocked Armenia and the Diaspora, Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan remains firm in his stance against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s leadership—one week after being arrested on coup-related charges he calls politically motivated.

Karapetyan, a successful businessman with deep Armenian roots and an estimated $4 billion in assets according to Forbes, was arrested shortly after issuing a strong public rebuke of Pashinyan’s campaign against the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He was charged with calling for a violent overthrow of the government, following a heated exchange that began with a striking Facebook post by the Prime Minister.

“Now I will interfere with you in my own way, you scoundrel,” Pashinyan wrote online, just before Karapetyan was arrested.

Despite being held behind bars, Karapetyan has not remained silent. From prison, he continues to release bold statements daily, accusing Pashinyan of failing Armenia on multiple fronts—from foreign policy to national security.

“Pashinyan has completely destroyed the country's external security,” Karapetyan declared in one of his recent messages. “He has ruined its relations with Russia and is now shamefully begging the leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkey for peace.” He promised, “Soon our external security will be rebuilt, and dignity will be restored very quickly.”

These powerful statements have captured the attention of many in Armenia and abroad, especially among opposition groups, who now rally around Karapetyan’s name. Although he has never been part of Armenia’s political life, many wonder if he is now positioning himself for a larger role—especially with general elections expected next year.

In his latest remarks, Karapetyan also spoke about the urgent need to rebuild Armenia’s ties with its global Diaspora.

“Our country has almost lost its most precious and immeasurable capital, our Diaspora,” he said. “They [the authorities] have successfully reached a point where Armenia has zero investment from the Diaspora.”

So far, members of Karapetyan’s family and inner circle have not confirmed whether he is seeking to change Armenia’s government. But what’s clear is that his messages have become a rallying cry for those disillusioned with the current leadership.

Karapetyan, 59, was born and raised in Armenia but moved to Russia in the early 1990s. His business empire is mostly based there. While some Russian officials have voiced concern about his arrest, the Kremlin has yet to publicly call for his release.

On Tuesday, Karapetyan was unexpectedly transferred from a prison in Armavir, located 50 kilometers west of Yerevan, to a maximum-security basement jail in the capital. Officials have not provided a clear explanation for the move.

Even while in detention, Karapetyan found a way to help others. After arriving in Armavir, he offered to provide free legal services to prisoners who believe they are being held unjustly. He even shared a list of lawyers willing to take on their cases.

His own legal team continues to insist on his innocence. Attorney Aram Vartevanyan said the case is baseless and politically driven. He directly accused law enforcement of following Pashinyan’s Facebook orders rather than the law.

The charges against Karapetyan are based on comments he made on June 17 at the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin—the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church—where he accused the Prime Minister of “attacking” the Church and vowed to “participate” in its defense. Authorities say those comments were a call for a violent regime change.

On June 18, a Yerevan court approved pre-trial detention. Karapetyan initially appealed the ruling, but withdrew his appeal on Monday after learning his case was assigned to Judge Armen Danielyan, who is widely seen as siding with state prosecutors.

Karapetyan’s arrest and ongoing defiance have become a powerful symbol in Armenia—a test of freedom of speech, the role of the Church, the voice of the Diaspora, and the future of the country itself. Whether his messages from prison mark the beginning of a political journey or remain a protest against injustice, Samvel Karapetyan has placed himself at the heart of Armenia’s national conversation.

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