What Happened at Saint Anna Church
MARCH 29, 2026 -- PALM SUNDAY
Saint Anna Church, Yerevan. Palm Sunday Mass. The church was full of worshippers.
PM Nikol Pashinyan arrived uninvited with his security detail. Bodyguards began aggressively pushing worshippers aside to clear a path -- first toward the altar, then toward the exit.
David Minasyan, a 12th-grade student and regular churchgoer, was standing in the crowd. When bodyguards tried to push him aside, he refused to move.
"Don't look at me like that."
David reached toward Pashinyan. A bodyguard knocked the teenager to the ground. Video evidence later surfaced showing Pashinyan's escort struck David first.
Pashinyan left the church amid angry cries from worshippers.
What Happened Next
RFE/RL, JAM NEWS, ALPHA NEWS
| DATE | EVENT |
|---|---|
| March 29 | David arrested immediately after the service |
| March 29 | His twin brother Mikael also arrested, charged with "assisting" |
| March 29 | Activist Gevorg Gevorgyan arrested, charged with "organizing" (bail: $13,000) |
| April 1 | Judge orders 2 months pre-trial detention for David |
| April 2 | David loses consciousness during transfer to Armavir penitentiary |
| April 2 | Taken by ambulance to Echmiadzin Medical Center |
| April 2 | Transferred to penal facility instead of hospital (despite lawyers' pleas) |
| April 2-3 | Difficulty breathing. Fingernails turning black. |
| April 3 | Finally transferred to Nairi Medical Center -- intensive care |
The Charges
CRIMINAL CODE
| PERSON | AGE | CHARGE | PENALTY |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Minasyan | 18 | Hooliganism + interference with official activities | 2-5 YEARS |
| Mikael Minasyan | 18 (twin) | "Assisting" | Released on travel ban |
| Gevorg Gevorgyan | Adult | "Organizing" | Released on $13K bail |
David's defense lawyer Armen Melkonyan: "A 12th-grade student is to be held in custody, while individuals accused of particularly serious crimes may remain under administrative supervision or house arrest."
The Judge
Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan ordered the 2-month detention. RFE/RL describes him as "notorious for having routinely handed down rulings sought by the country's current and former authorities."
The Health Crisis
LAWYERS' STATEMENTS
"David's right to life is in danger. Transfer this child to a hospital, not to another penal institution."
When David lost consciousness during prison transfer, authorities took him to a medical center -- then transferred him to another penal facility instead of keeping him hospitalized. His condition worsened: difficulty breathing, fingernails turning black. Only after public outcry was he finally moved to intensive care.
What Analysts Are Saying
Former ombudsman Arman Tatoyan: "The self-proclaimed believer pushed people aside in the middle of the service and broke through their ranks with his bodyguards and entourage, forgetting that a humble believer does not behave in this way in a church."
Political analyst Hakob Badalyan called it a "provocative visit."
The "Strong Armenia with Samvel Karapetyan" alliance has called a nationwide rally for April 11 in response.
The Pattern
This is not isolated. It connects to everything OWL has documented:
- War threats to terrorize voters
- Opposition arrested, ruling party protected
- Two justice systems -- one for power, one for everyone else
- Independence film banned -- censorship escalating
An 18-year-old went to church on Palm Sunday. The Prime Minister's bodyguards pushed him. The Prime Minister told him: "Don't look at me like that." A bodyguard knocked him to the ground. He's now in intensive care with black fingernails. He faces 2 to 5 years in prison. The video shows the escort struck first. The judge who ordered his detention is known for doing what the government asks. This is Armenia. 65 days before elections.
Sources: RFE/RL (Azatutyun), Jam News, Alpha News AM, PanArmenian.net, ArmInfo. Video evidence publicly available.