Armenian Apostolic Church leader faces trial as feud with PM deepens

What the report says

Armenia is set to bring Catholicos Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and six other clerics to trial on Friday in Armavir Regional Court in Vagharshapat, a city often described as the country’s spiritual center. According to Al Jazeera, prosecutors say the group defied a civil court order by failing to reinstate a bishop who had been defrocked. If convicted, each defendant could face up to two years in prison.

The case centers on Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, who was removed from office in January after the Church accused him of abusing his authority and neglecting his duties. Al Jazeera reports that Saroyan is a supporter of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and that both Saroyan and Pashinyan have called for Karekin II to resign. Karekin, a prominent critic of the prime minister, has been accused by Pashinyan of ties to Russia; those allegations have been denied by the Church, and no evidence was presented in the article.

The trial comes amid a wider political and religious confrontation that has intensified since Armenia’s defeat in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Al Jazeera says the Church has criticized Pashinyan for his handling of the issue, including his acceptance of territorial losses to Azerbaijan, while the prime minister has accused Karekin II of misconduct and continued to press for his resignation.

Opposition figures, church leaders and civil society groups cited by Al Jazeera say the prosecution reflects political pressure on critics of the government. A rights lawyer quoted by the outlet also argued that the case raises concerns about the Church’s constitutional independence and about judicial independence in politically sensitive proceedings.