Armenian Apostolic Church urges court to release Archbishop Ajapakhyan

The Armenian Orthodox Church (AAC) has called on the country's judicial system to act within the law and immediately release Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan, who has been arrested for two months. This is stated on June 28 in a statement by the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church — the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

They noted that they condemn the arrest of the cleric, saying that the anti-church policy of the state, as well as the rhetoric of hostility and hatred against the clergy by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and other high-ranking officials of the country led to it.

"The court's decision, made under certain political pressure, is unjustified and illegal. The steps taken against Archbishop Mikael are nothing more than political persecution and personal revenge of a man who considers himself a Christian and a follower of the Armenian Orthodox Church," Sputnik Armenia agency quoted the statement.

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Earlier that day, the Yerevan court arrested Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan for two months. Lawyer Ara Zohrabyan stated that the defense plans to appeal the court's decision.

Ajapakhyan was detained on June 27. The Investigative Committee of Armenia has opened a criminal case against him on calls to overthrow the government in the country. In turn, Armenian lawyer Varazdat Harutyunyan stated that the criminal case against the archbishop on calls to seize power is absurd from a legal point of view.

On June 26, the Armenian Prosecutor General's Office opened a criminal case under Article 422 ("Public calls for the violent overthrow of power") against Archbishop Ajapakhyan. The reason was the archbishop's public statements about the political situation in the country.