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ISTANBUL

Armenia said Wednesday that its security authorities foiled an alleged coup plot led by a prominent cleric to overthrow the government.

A statement by the Investigative Committee accused Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, who led protests in 2024 to demand Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's resignation, and several alleged co-conspirators, of instigating a change of power in Armenia as early as November 2024.

The protests last summer came after Yerevan agreed in April 2024 to return four villages to Baku that were occupied by Armenia in Azerbaijan’s northwestern Gazakh district during the First Karabakh War from 1988-1994.

The statement said to achieve his goals, Galstanyan, with prior agreement with others in the Sacred Struggle movement, "acquired the necessary means and tools to commit terrorism and to seize power, as well as intentionally created other conditions, thus preparing to usurp power."

It argued that Galstanyan and his supporters initially pursued the movement's goals through public rallies and marches, but later planned to destabilize the country in 24 to 36 hours by assigning simultaneous tasks to "strike groups."

The movement decided to form 200 to 250 "strike groups" made up of former military personnel and police officers, each of whom would be assigned a specific mission as part of the plot, it said.

It also accused the group of acquiring weapons, explosives and other dangerous materials in preparation for the plot, as well as recruiting more than 1,000 people since January.

The National Security Service foiled the coup plot in its "preparation stage," it said, adding that investigative actions are being taken concerning the issue.

In a follow-up statement, the committee said it conducted searches at more than 90 premises, during which objects and documents related to the alleged coup were found, including firearms and ammunition.

"At this time, 14 people have been arrested based on the investigator's decisions," it said, adding that 16 people have been indicted.

"Law enforcement officers prevented a large and sinister plan by the 'criminal-oligarchic clergy' to destabilize the Republic of Armenia and seize power," Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote on Facebook.​​​​​​��