Armenian Apostolic Church: Catholicos of All Armenians and bishops involved in the case will not attend the next court hearing in Etchmiadzin

ArmInfo.  Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and the six bishops involved in the case—members of the Supreme Spiritual Council—will not attend the upcoming court hearing in Etchmiadzin.

As the press office of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) recalled, the preliminary hearing in the criminal case against the Catholicos of All Armenians and six bishops will take place on September 18, 2026, at 15:00.  “Exercising the right provided for by Part 4 of Article 272 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia, the Catholicos of All Armenians and the senior clergymen will not attend the hearing. Their interests will be represented by lawyers,” the Mother See of Etchmiadzin stated.

We remind you that since May 2025, the Armenian authorities have pursued an active anti-church policy and have been seeking the departure of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, who is elected to this position for life. As part of this campaign, both members of the clergy and citizens speaking out in support of the Church have been subjected to persecution. In February of this year, the Armenian Prosecutor’s Office initiated a criminal case against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, and he was prohibited from leaving the country. The case was initiated on charges of obstructing the execution of a judicial act related to the defrocking of Arman Saroyan. Khachatur Galstyan was appointed prosecutor in the criminal case.  Several other senior clergymen are also involved in the case. On August 7, Judge Hakob Manukyan, who was to preside over the first hearing in the case against the Catholicos of All Armenians and six bishops, announced his recusal. After that, the case was assigned to Judge Serzh Rushanyan. However, on August 28, Rushanyan decided to refer the case against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and the six bishops—members of the Supreme Spiritual Council—to the Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan. After that, another judge refused to hear the case against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II—Judge of the Yerevan Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction Vaagn Melikyan—and the case was once again referred to Judge Serzh Rushanyan for consideration.