Criminal case against Catholicos of All Armenians transferred to  Judge Serzh Rushanyan

ArmInfo.  The criminal case against Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and six bishops has  been transferred to Judge Serzh Rushanyan. The corresponding  announcement was posted on the Datalex judicial information system  website.

It was previously reported that the previous judge, Hakob Manukyan,  recused himself from the trial. The court hearing itself lasted no  more than half an hour.

As a reminder, the unprecedented trial of Catholicos of All Armenians  Garegin II, who is accused of obstructing the execution of a judicial  act, began on August 7. The Investigative Committee of Armenia opened  a criminal case following Karekin II's decision to defrock Bishop  Gevork Saroyan (secular name Arman Saroyan), who supported the  republic's authorities in their conflict with the Armenian Apostolic  Church. 

The case was opened under the articles "Failure to enforce a judicial  act or obstruction of its enforcement" and "Incitement to fail to  enforce a judicial act." The court had previously prohibited the  Armenian Apostolic Church from "obstructing Bishop Saroyan from  exercising his powers as the Primate of the Masiatsotn Diocese."  Along with the Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church, six other  members of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apostolic  Church are also involved in the case.