Lawyer Arsen Babayan urges Investigative Committee to provide  clarification regarding  analysis of video recording attributed to  Archbishop Arshak

ArmInfo.Arsen Babayan, attorney for Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan, who is the head of the Chancellery of the Mother See of Etchmiadzin, has called on the  Investigative Committee of Armenia (IC) to provide clear and comprehensive clarification regarding the conclusive analysis of the video recording, which served as a basis for the criminal case against his client.

 Babayan posted this call on his Facebook page in response to a  statement circulating on pro-government platforms, reportedly  attributed to 13 bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC),  calling for the resignation of  Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin  II. The lawyer emphasized that he is unsure of the authenticity of  this statement, as it concerns only internal clergy relations and  governance processes, an area beyond his jurisdiction. However, he  stated that certain elements in the statement  fall within his  authority as the archbishop's lawyer, and he considers it necessary  to respond to them. 

According to Babayan, during the questioning of Archbishop Arshak  Khachatryan in this case, he was not presented with the order  appointing an expert examination, nor was the expert's report  presented. "This gives reason to believe that such an examination was  neither ordered nor conducted. This assertion is based on the  procedure for ordering and conducting examinations established by the  Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia. Furthermore, it is clear that  even if such an expert opinion had existed, it could not have been  provided to anyone else, including the aforementioned bishops, due to  the confidentiality requirements of the preliminary investigation.  Given the public outcry, I believe that the Investigative Committee  of Armenia is obligated to provide clear and comprehensive  clarification on this matter," the lawyer concluded.