Lawyer: Catholicos of All Armenians and bishops involved in case will  not attend 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 next  court hearing in Etchmiadzin. Lawyer Ara Zohrabyan announced this on  his Facebook page.

He recalled that the preliminary hearing in the criminal case against  the Catholicos of All Armenians and the six bishops is scheduled for  August 28, 2026, at 4:30 PM and will take place at the Vagharshapat  Courthouse in Etchmiadzin under the presidency of Judge Serzh  Rushanyan. "The Catholicos of All Armenians and the bishops, in  accordance with Part 4 of Article 272 of the Criminal Procedure Code  of Armenia, will not be present at this court hearing. Defense  attorneys will participate in the hearing," Zohrabyan stated.

The lawyer recalled that the Catholicos of All Armenians is accused  of defrocking former Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, which the prosecution  classifies as obstruction of the execution of a judicial act.  Therefore, as Zohrabyan explained, the first and foremost legal  question the court must address is the following: can the defrocking  of a bishop, as an independent spiritual and canonical act, in itself  be considered a criminal offense of "obstruction"?

"The Constitution and laws of Armenia establish not only a general  requirement of neutrality for the state, but also a direct obligation  not to interfere in the internal governance and canonical life of the  Armenian Apostolic Holy Church (AAC). The ordination of a bishop, the  preservation of his clerical status, disciplinary responsibility, and  defrocking are precisely the key elements of this internal life.  Consequently, the state cannot determine whether a particular  individual, regardless of the decision of the Church's highest  canonical authority, should continue to be considered a bishop or  not," the lawyer concluded.

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 was opened on charges of obstructing the execution of a  judicial decision related to the defrocking of Arman Saroyan.  Khachatur Galstyan was 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 in the case against the Catholicos of All Armenians and  six bishops, recused himself from the case.