Eight clerics from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Aragatsotn Diocese have been summoned by Armenia’s Investigative Committee as part of a criminal case linked to a leaked phone recording between Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan and former cleric Aghan Yeranjakyan. The investigation is ongoing, and the clergy have been called in as witnesses, lawyer Marine Farmanyan told Pastinfo.
She noted that key details remain unclear, including how the recording was obtained, where it was distributed, and what its full content entails. While a report has been filed concerning a possible breach of phone call confidentiality, no criminal case has been initiated on that basis.
Farmanyan added that no forensic examination has yet been ordered to verify the authenticity of the recording, and there’s been no investigation into its origin or distribution. Despite the recording being disseminated by pro-government media outlets, no steps have been taken to verify its contents, identify the speakers, or confirm its legitimacy.
There is no information about whether Yeranjakyan has been questioned, and no face-to-face interrogation between him and Archbishop Nathan has taken place. There are also no current plans to question the Catholicos.
The phone recording, leaked on October 17, features a 2023 conversation in which Aghan Yeranjakyan expresses frustration to Archbishop Nathan, accusing the Catholicos of pressuring clergy to attend anti-government protests. The authenticity of the recording remains unverified.
