Patriarch Election: Nor Zartonk Says 'We Don't Want an Appointed Patriarch,' Calls for Boycott

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Nor Zartonk, a group founded by Armenians of Turkey, has released a statement on the election of the Armenian Patriarch, which has been in a deadlock for a decade.

The official election process began in March after the death of Patriarch Mesrop Mutayfan, who had been critically ill since 2010.

The Ministry of Interior, in a controversial order in September, laid down the condition of "affiliation with the class of bishops of the Armenian Patriarchate of İstanbul" to participate in the election of the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey.

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Nor Zartonk said the order preventing the participation of candidates from abroad violates the Constitution and international conventions, citing a decision by the Constitutional Court dated May 22, 2019.

"The state, as in the past 12 years, is unlawfully interfering with the process again," it said.

"The Patriarch Governor also stated that the election could not be fair in these circumstances. Despite the intense reactions from different sections of the public and the decision of the Constitutional Court, Patriarch Governor Mashalyan, the Enterprising Council and foundation managers could not display a clear and honorable stance and could not perform their duties," referring to their decision to not appeal the ministry order.

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Nor Zartonk said that bureaucrats and politicians suggested that they would not ever allow the election of a patriarch again, which lead the elections to become "null" and paved the way for the appointment of a trustee by the government as patriarch.

For these reasons, the group called the two candidates to withdraw from elections and the people to boycott the election.

What happened?

Former Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan had been suffering health problems since 2008. The government replaced him with Aram Ateshian in 2010 because Mutafyan was unconscious in the hospital and could not perform his duties.

While the patriarch's severe health problems remained stable for more than 9 years, an election decision was made in October 2016 at the request of the Armenian community. In March 2017, the Karekin Bekchiyan was elected the Governor of the Patriarchate to take the Patriarchate to the elections.

The Ministry of Interior did not respond to a petition for the elections that were sent in August 2017. Meanwhile, Atashian did not resign despite the beginning of the election process.

The Governorship of İstanbul announced that proceedings regarding the election of Bekchiyan are invalid and all the decisions taken by Bekchiyan will be declared invalid. It called Bekchiyan the "so-called governor of the Patriarchate.

İstanbul Governorship then canceled the election of the Patriarch. Karekin Bekchiyan, who received the approval of the majority of the Armenian community, said, "The dark campaigns have reached a very ugly extent. I am afraid that this attitude will further deteriorate and even corrupt our society." After the decision, Bekchiyan left Turkey.

Following the death of Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan on March 8, the process began to elect the new Patriarch. (PT/VK)