Several priests detained under unclear circumstances - lawyer

ArmInfo.Several priests have been detained under still unclear circumstances. The Primate of the Aragatsotn Diocese, Bishop Mkrtich, has effectively disappeared and found himself beyond the protection of his legal protection as a  result of state actions. Lawyer Armine Fanyan stated this in a  conversation with journalists.

"The state refuses to disclose his whereabouts, and we are currently  trying to determine his whereabouts.  Let me say that it is a crime  for a person to find himself beyond the protection of the law. We  have been here for a long time; a search was conducted, and His  Holiness left with the investigator who conducted the search, likely  to be taken to the pretrial investigation agency, but his whereabouts  are currently unknown," the lawyer noted.

When asked about the underlying motive behind these actions, she  noted that they were likely a consequence of Father Aram's  discussions with Petros Ghazaryan on Public Television.

"The doors of the investigative body are closed. The lawyers are  trying to enter. We have questions, but the doors are locked. Some  priests have left after receiving summonses for questioning.  Currently, according to our information, one priest is inside, but  there are rumors that others are also there, including several  secular employees," Armine Fanyan added.

It was previously reported that those detained included priests  Father Paren, Father Manuk, Father Hayk, Father Mkrtich, Father  Ghevond, as well as Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, the primate of the  Aragatsotn Diocese.