Administrative Court upholds Armenian Apostolic Church`s claim in  Hovhannavank case

ArmInfo. On July 1, the Administrative Court of Armenia, presided over by Judge Varazdat Mikaelyan, upheld the claim of the Armenian Apostolic Church against  the police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This was reported by  lawyer Ara Zogryabyan.

The lawyer recalled that the case concerned the Hovhannavank Church  in the Aragatsotn region, regarding which the Armenian Apostolic  Church had previously filed a complaint with the police regarding the  illegal entry of deposed priest Stepan Asatryan (formerly Priest Aram  Asatryan), who continued to perform ritual rites at Hovhannavank. The  Church demanded that the invasion be prevented and the eviction  carried out in accordance with the procedure established by  Government Decree No. 797-N. The police refused to take the actions  prescribed by this legal act, not even appearing at the scene or  carrying out the measures prescribed by the government decree.

The court clearly stated that the police are obligated not to ignore  the petitions of the Mother See of Etchmiadzin, but to arrive at the  scene in accordance with the procedure established by law, examine  the documents presented, and take action to protect property rights.

"The most important legal implication of the decision is that,  although the church is open to believers, not all of its parts have  the same legal status: the altar, the sanctuary, and the crypt are  spaces designated exclusively for worship. The court also stated that  Article 18 of the Constitution recognizes the exclusive mission of  the Armenian Apostolic Church in the spiritual life of the Armenian  people, the development of national culture, and the preservation of  national identity. According to the RA Law "On Relations between the  Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church," it follows  that the Church, within the framework of legally established  requirements, independently organizes its internal life and exercises  its canonical powers. According to the Administrative Court, it  follows from the aforementioned legal norms that the establishment of  the internal organization of the church, the conduct of church  services, as well as the procedure for using church premises for  worship and determining the circle of persons authorized to be  present therein, are reserved exclusively to the competent  authorities of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In its decision, the  court found the police inaction unlawful," emphasized Ara Zohrabyan.

As a reminder, former Hovhannavank Abbot Stepan Asatryan was  defrocked on October 21, 2025, by decision of the Disciplinary  Commission of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The decision was based  on the commission's findings and a report by the Primate of the  Aragatsotn Diocese, which stated that Asatryan's public statements  had discredited the church and its clergy. Subsequently, Asatryan  openly declared his support for government policies criticizing the  clergy. Meanwhile, Asatryan continued to remain in the church and  conduct illegal church rites. The Armenian Apostolic Church filed a  lawsuit against Asatryan, demanding that the defrocked cleric  surrender the keys to his Yerevan apartment, which is owned by the  Armenian Apostolic Church, as well as the keys to Hovhannavank  Monastery in the Aragatsotn region.