Armenian court acquits head of Syunik Diocese of the Armenian  Apostolic Church

ArmInfo.The criminal prosecution against Bishop Makar Hakopian, Primate of the Syunik Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, is also subject to  termination, according to lawyer Armine Fanyan.

As Fanyan stated, Judge Emma Avagyan issued the ruling, confirming  that Bishop Makar Hakobian's rights had been violated. "In  particular, by granting the appeal, the court recorded that the  period of public criminal prosecution against His Holiness Makar was  suspended without proper justification of the necessary exceptional  grounds for doing so. As a result, his rights to a lawful and  reasoned procedural act, effective judicial protection, and the  resolution of the charges within a reasonable timeframe were  violated," Fanyan wrote on her Facebook page.

On July 18, Fanyan also announced the termination of criminal  prosecution against Bishop Hovnan Hakobian, Primate of the Gugark  Diocese of the AAC.

Recall, Hovnan Hakobian and Makar Hakobian, members of the Supreme  Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apostolic Church, faced charges in  the case involving Arman (Gevorg) Saroyan,  former head of the  Masiatsotn Diocese who was stripped of his clerical rank by the  Catholicos of All Armenians