The “criminal case” against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and six bishops will be heard in the Armavir provincial court, the Court of Cassation of Armenia has ruled, Armenian News-NEWS.am was informed by the Judicial Department. 

Earlier, two judges from the Armavir provincial court of general jurisdiction, Hakob Manukyan and Serzh Rushanyan, had declined to preside over this “case.” Judge Manukyan had recused himself from this “case,” arguing that Ara Zohrabyan, a lawyer in this “case,” had given him his attorney’s license. 

And Judge Rushanyan had decided that this “case” should be heard in Yerevan. Subsequently, Judge Vahagn Melikyan of the Yerevan court of general jurisdiction had decided to send this “case” to the Court of Cassation to determine in which court it should be examined. 

The Catholicos of All Armenians is charged with using his official powers to obstruct the execution of a judicial act that has entered into legal force by. The same charge has also been brought against Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, Archbishop Haigazun Najarian, Bishop Moushegh Babayan, Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan, Bishop Makar Hakobyan, and Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian. 

The “case” is related to the judicial process regarding the tenure of the now defrocked primate of the Diocese of Masis of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Gevorg Saroyan—now Arman Saroyan. On January 10, Saroyan was dismissed from the aforesaid position by order of Karekin II. Saroyan had challenged the decision in court, and the latter applied a measure of security of the claim to ensure his tenure until the final judicial act in the “case.” 

According to the prosecution, the execution of that judicial act was subsequently hindered. In February, a travel ban was imposed on Catholicos Karekin II as a pretrial measure, preventing him from leaving Armenia.

https://news.am/en/news/1060149