NewzYEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — The head of the influential Armenian Apostolic Church appeared in court Friday for a trial on criminal charges as part of its latest confrontation with the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Catholicos Karekin II and six other senior clergymen are accused of defying a court order to reinstate a defrocked bishop. The case is widely seen as a part of long-simmering tensions between Pashinyan, who was reelected earlier this year, and the church, which has called for his ouster.
If convicted, Karekin and the other clerics could face up to two years in prison. Relations between the powerful church and Pashinyan’s government have deteriorated rapidly since 2024, when tens of thousands of demonstrators, led by a high-ranking cleric, called for his ouster. They were angered by Armenia’s agreement to hand over control of several border villages to Azerbaijan and normalize relations with its neighbor after being locked for decades in territorial disputes.
Many clergy bitterly opposed the handover of the villages and criticized Pashinyan, who came to power in the South Caucasus nation amid a wave of hopeful, pro-democracy protests that swept Armenia in 2018. Some senior clerics have since faced a crackdown by the government. The judge in the trial recuses himself The first court hearing took place Friday in the central city of Vagharshapat, also known as Etchmiadzin, which is Armenia’s spiritual capital and the headquarters of the church.
Shortly after the hearing, Karekin’s lawyer Ara Zograbyan told reporters the judge in the case has recused himself. “I welcome this move by the judge, because in effect he refused to become a part of this shameful proceeding,”Zograbyan said, adding that the case will be assigned to a new judge. Hundreds of Karekin’s supporters gathered outside the courthouse in Vagharshapat, which is located about 18 kilometers (11 miles) west of Armenia’s capital, Yerevan.
Members of opposition parties, clergy leaders and representatives of nongovernmental organizations also came for the hearing. Samvel Karapetyan, head of the pro-Russian opposition party Strong Armenia, called the case against Karekin a “national disgrace.” “It seemed that maybe the authorities would come to their senses and stop their attacks on the church, but they’re keeping at it,” local media quoted him as saying. Some senior clerics have since faced a crackdown by the government.The judge in the trial recuses himselfThe first court hearing took place Friday in the central city of Vagharshapat, also known as Etchmiadzin, which is Armenia's spiritual capital and the headquarters of the church.Shortly after the hearing, Karekin's lawyer Ara Zograbyan told reporters the judge in the case has recused himself.“I welcome this move by the judge, because in effect he refused to become a part of this shameful proceeding,”Zograbyan said, adding that the case will be assigned to a new judge.Hundreds of Karekin's supporters gathered outside the courthouse in Vagharshapat, which is located about 18 kilometers (11 miles) west of Armenia's capital, Yerevan.
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