Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, head of the Shirak Diocese, was arrested on June 28. The criminal case against him has now been transferred to court, according to Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office, as reported by Factor.am .
Ajapahyan faces prosecution under Part 2 of Article 422 of Armenia’s Criminal Code. He is accused of calling for the overthrow of state power during an interview with Gala TV about a year and a half ago. According to case materials, he allegedly said, “A military coup must be carried out in Armenia.”
Following the indictment, the Union of Informed Citizens NGO published a document showing Ajapahyan had made similar statements in another interview in 2023. However, the Prosecutor’s Office concluded that those remarks did not constitute a criminal offense.
