Armenian Apostolic Church leaders have condemned the measures taken by riot police on Wednesday directed at protesters who rallied outside the country’s parliament in Yerevan.

Scores of protesters were injured when riot police fired stun grenades to prevent them from surrounding the parliament in a bid to force the resignation of PM Nikol Pashinyan.

The church’s Supreme Spiritual Council, in a statement, accused the government of using “disproportionate force” and “illegal actions” to silence the peaceful rally outside the parliament.

“The policy conducted by the authorities in the post-war period, and especially the unilateral territorial concessions made in the name of the demarcation and demarcation process, have caused serious new worries and anxieties both in the homeland and in the diaspora, giving rise to the formation of mistrust, leading to the demand for the resignation of the Prime Minister of Armenia,” the statement reads.

The church leaders accused the government of ignoring the legitimate fears and concerns of the people and using force instead.

They called on the government to refrain from violence, hate and enmity and urged the protesters to respect the law.