Armenia’s investigative committee targets Church over defiance of court ruling

Armenia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case against the Armenian Church over its failure to comply with a court ruling concerning Bishop Gevork Saroyan of the Masiaots Diocese.

According to Armenian media, on January 10, Catholicos Garegin II removed Saroyan from his position as head of the diocese after the bishop publicly called for the resignation of the church’s leader, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

Saroyan challenged the decision in court, seeking reinstatement as diocesan head. On January 16, court bailiffs ruled that the Catholicos must not obstruct Saroyan’s activities and confirmed the bishop’s authority over diocesan finances.

Despite this, Garegin II stripped Saroyan of his episcopal rank on January 27, an action the Investigative Committee interprets as a refusal to comply with the judicial order. The committee has opened a case on this basis.

By Aghakazim Guliyev