Armenia's Prime Minister Andranik Makarian has told the country's newly created government Council on Religious affairs that Armenia's human-rights commitments must not be allowed to stand in the way of efforts to stop the spread of "dangerous sects that threaten national security."
The prime minister's statement was echoed by defense minister Mikael Grigorian, who spoke out against the minority religious faiths that oppose compulsory military service. Those religions, Grigorian charged, are contributing to the "disintegration and demoralization" of the country's armed forces. That influence must be curbed, he continued. "Defense of the homeland must come before everything," Grigorian said.