Eight priests of the Armenian Apostolic Church were detained in Armenia

The number of detained clergy of the Aragatsotn diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) has reached eight. Lawyer Marina Farmanyan announced this on October 15.

According to Farmanyan, there are currently six priests in the Investigative Committee who have the status of witnesses. In addition, Priest Ambartsum Danielyan was brought to the department.

"There is no information about two priests, Narek Sargsyan and Sarkis Sargsyan. They were brought in, but it is not known where exactly they were taken. Perhaps they are also being taken to the Investigative Committee, but there is no confirmation yet," Sputnik Armenia quotes the lawyer as saying

She added that the location of the head of the diocese, Bishop Mkrtycha Proshyan, has not yet been established.

On the morning of October 15, it became known about the detention of several clergy of the diocese, including Proshyan himself. The Investigative Committee reported that the actions were being carried out as part of a criminal case under the article on obstruction of an assembly or coercion to participate in it.

Lawyers suggest that the investigative measures may be related to the statement of the priest of the Aragatsotn diocese, Aram Asatryan, who previously claimed that the head of the diocese allegedly forced him and other priests to participate in opposition protests in 2021. Later, one of the publications close to the authorities sent a request to the Prosecutor General's Office to initiate criminal proceedings based on these statements.

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Earlier, on August 28, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II needs to leave his post. On July 20, Pashinyan called for preparations to expel the Catholicos of All Armenians from his residence in Etchmiadzin. He accused Karekin II of violating the marriage covenant. According to the Prime Minister of Armenia, after joining the church, a monk priest cannot enter into any other personal relationships.

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