Case involving Catholicos Garegin II and six other bishops to be heard by Armavir court

The criminal case involving Catholicos Garegin II and six other bishops will be heard by the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction of Armavir Province.

The Court of Cassation has ruled that the case materials make it possible to determine the location where the alleged acts described in the charges were committed — the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, which falls within the territorial jurisdiction of the Armavir court.

Judge Serzh Rushanyan of the Armavir court had sent the case to Yerevan, arguing that the description of the charge brought against Garegin II did not specify the location where the alleged act had been committed. Judge Vahagn Melikyan of the Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan subsequently referred the case to the Court of Cassation to resolve the issue of jurisdiction.

The Court of Cassation stated that, when assessing the issue of jurisdiction, the charge brought against the Catholicos could not be considered in isolation. The charges against the other six clergymen state that the actions attributed to them were carried out at the Mother See during a meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council.

The Court of Cassation concluded that the Armavir court had taken a subjective approach, creating the risk of unnecessary judicial back-and-forth in the criminal case, which could have impeded its examination within a reasonable time.

Garegin II is charged under Part 2 of Article 507 of the Criminal Code of Armenia with obstructing the enforcement of a final and binding judicial act through the use of official powers.

The same charge has also been brought against Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, Archbishop Haykazun Najaryan, Bishop Vahan Hovhannisyan, Bishop Makar Hakobyan, Bishop Mushegh Babayan and Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan.

The case is related to court proceedings concerning the tenure of former head of the Diocese of Masyatsotn Bishop Gevorg Saroyan. On January 10, 2026, Bishop Gevorg Saroyan was relieved of his position as diocesan primate by a directive issued by Garegin II.

Saroyan challenged the decision in court, and the court imposed an interim measure to ensure that he remained in office until a final judicial act was issued in the case. According to the prosecution, the enforcement of that judicial act was subsequently obstructed.

In February, a prohibition on absence was imposed on Catholicos Garegin II as a preventive measure, as a result of which he was barred from leaving Armenia.