Armenia court extends detention of archbishop Galstanyan by two months

A court in Armenia has extended the pre-trial detention of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the Sacred Struggle movement, for an additional two months.

The decision was announced by Judge Karen Farkhuyan of the Yerevan Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media. 

Galstanyan is among 18 members of the Sacred Struggle movement currently facing charges of preparing a terrorist attack and attempting to seize power. Authorities allege that the group was involved in a plot to overthrow the government by force.

The archbishop and several of his supporters were detained at the end of June last year. At the time, the Armenian Investigative Committee stated that it had thwarted what it described as an attempted violent seizure of power.

By Sabina Mammadli