Lawyer: This is the second judge who has refused to hear the case against the Catholicos of All Armenians.

ArmInfo. A second judge has refused to hear the case against Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and six bishops. This was stated by lawyer Ara Zohrabyan in a conversation with journalists outside the courthouse on August 28.

He recalled that during the hearing, the prosecution attempted to hold the hearing behind closed doors. According to the lawyer, this was an attempt to conceal the internal problems surrounding the case. "Because this case has very serious problems. After all, as you know, Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II is accused of fulfilling his canonical function. At the same time, today we witnessed how the second judge refused to hear this case," the lawyer noted.

At the same time, Zohrabyan noted that the defense disagrees with this decision. Since, as the lawyer recalled, the decree of the Catholicos of All Armenians was issued in Etchmiadzin, it therefore needs to be reviewed in a local court. "The judge did not share our opinion. On the other hand, his decision indicates that the judges consider this case problematic. On the one hand, there is their conscience, justice, and truth, and on the other, political pressure. And apparently, they found this way to resolve this issue. That's my opinion. Our position is that the case should have been dismissed at this stage," Zohrabyan emphasized.

Speaking about why the defense was against transferring the case to Yerevan, the lawyer recalled how the hearing in the case of the head of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, also took place in Yerevan, but it subsequently became clear that the principle of continuity had been violated, and the decision was annulled. "As a result, time was wasted." The fact that the Catholicos's case will also be heard in Yerevan carries the same risks. Furthermore, the case could be transferred to a judge whom the public does not trust, such as Judges Masis Melkonyan, Karen Farkhoyan, Armine Meliksetyan, and so on. In their case, we will face problems with justice. But we'll see. When the case is assigned, we will present our position," the lawyer noted.

Avetik Chalabyan, coordinator of the Hayakve initiative, also responded to the judge's decision. "Judge Serzh Rushanyan refused to hear the illegal case against the Catholicos of All Armenians and members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, citing its disputed jurisdiction. "This is already the second judge who, albeit under a formal pretext, refused to participate in this shameful case," Chalabyan wrote on his Facebook page.

As a reminder, since May 2025, the Armenian authorities have launched an active anti-church policy and are seeking the resignation of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, who is elected to this position for life. As part of this campaign, both clergy and citizens who support the Church are being persecuted. In February of this year, the Armenian Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case against Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, and he is prohibited from leaving the country. The case is based on charges of obstructing the execution of a judicial decision related to the defrocking of Arman Saroyan. Khachatur Galstyan has been appointed prosecutor in the criminal case. Several other high-ranking clergy are also involved in the case. On August 7, Judge Hakob Manukyan, who was scheduled to preside over the first hearing of the case against the Catholicos of All Armenians and six bishops, recused himself. The case was then assigned to Judge Serzh Rushanyan. The preliminary hearing in the criminal case against the Catholicos of All Armenians and six bishops took place on August 28, 2026, at 4:30 PM at the Vagharshapat Courthouse in Etchmiadzin. During the regular hearing on August 28, the judge decided to refer the case of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and six bishops to the Yerevan Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction.