In Armenia, they cannot convict Garegin II in any way — the prosecutor also refused the case

The prosecutor, as well as three judges, also refused to participate in the trial against Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and quit his job, local media reported.

According to the Epicentron news block of the Kentron TV channel, the prosecutor who decided to initiate criminal proceedings against the Catholicos and six bishops and confirmed the charges refused to participate in this case and resigned.

The information was confirmed by the Prosecutor General’s Office, stressing that Prosecutor Khachatur Galstyan was dismissed at his own request.

The prosecutor’s office denies that the reason for the dismissal was the prosecutor’s refusal to participate in the case of His Holiness.

As EADaily reported, on September 3, the third judge dismissed the case of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and six bishops. Information about redirecting the case to The Court of Cassation confirmed in The Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan, where he was sent from the Armavir court. Yerevan Criminal Court Judge Vahagn Melikyan appealed to The Court of Cassation to resolve the issue of jurisdiction. The decision is made by the chairman of the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation within five days.

On August 28, Judge Serge Rushanyan refused to hold a hearing on the case of Garegin II behind closed doors. Defrocked Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, on the basis of whose testimony a criminal case was opened against Garegin II and six bishops, demanded a closed court session.

“The court considers that there are no grounds for holding a closed session, and rejects Saroyan’s petition,” the judge said, announcing the decision.

Rushanyan decided to transfer the case against the Catholicos of All Armenians and six bishops to Yerevan City Criminal Court of the First Instance of General jurisdiction for its consideration and determination of the expediency of considering this case in the Armavir court. The parties objected, but the judge insisted on his own.

Earlier, Judge Hakob Manukyan recused himself from this case.

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has opened a criminal case after Garegin II’s decision to defrocket Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, who supported the authorities of the republic in the conflict with the Armenian Apostolic Church. The case was opened under the articles “Non-execution of a judicial act or obstruction of its execution” and “Inducement to non-execution of a judicial act”. In particular, the UK claims that the court in Armenia forbade the Armenian Apostolic Church to “prevent Bishop Saroyan from exercising his powers as the leader of the Masyatsotn diocese.”

Together with the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, six more members of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apostolic Church are being investigated. The defense states that the State cannot determine whether a particular person, regardless of the decision of the supreme canonical authority of the church, should continue to be considered a bishop, otherwise it would be an appropriation of the authority to make a final decision on the issue of spiritual status and illegal interference in the affairs of the church.

The Armenian Apostolic Church declares that the accusation brought against Garegin II and the bishops is an illegal interference in the internal life of the church. The Armenian Apostolic Church stated that the rights of the Catholicos of all Armenians and bishops should be immediately restored, and the illegal criminal prosecution against them should be stopped.