Anti-Corruption Committee has no criminal case against Catholicos of  All Armenians

ArmInfo.The Anti-Corruption Committee has no criminal case against Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. This was announced by Committee Chairman Artur Nahapetyan  in a conversation with journalists on February 24.

When asked whether the committee has a case against the Catholicos or  his property, Nahapetyan replied:  "No, there is no such case."

Earlier, the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia opened a criminal  case against Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and banned him  from leaving the country. Garegin II is accused of obstructing  justice in the case of Arman (Gevorg) Saroyan, the former head of the  Masiatsotn Diocese. Saroyan was among those who joined Prime Minister  Nikol Pashinyan's campaign to remove Karekin II and elect a new  Catholicos. On January 10, the Catholicos of All Armenians dismissed  Saroyan from his position as primate of the diocese, accusing him of  "abuse of office," "failure to fulfill his duties," and "pressure on  the diocesan clergy." On January 27, Karekin II also defrocked  Saroyan, classifying him as a layperson.  Between these events, the  cleric appealed to the court, which ruled to reinstate him. The  Armenian Apostolic Church petitioned to overturn this decision, but  it remained in effect. Despite this, Saroyan was not reinstated in  his rank or as head of the Masiatsotn Diocese.