Armenia sets new hearing in case involving top church leader Garegin II

A new court hearing in the case involving Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and six bishops has been scheduled for September 18, Armenian media report, citing the Criminal Court’s press service.

The case was previously returned to the Armavir Court by Armenia’s Court of Cassation.

It will be heard by Judge Serzh Rushanyan, who had previously effectively recused himself from the case and referred it to a court in Yerevan.

Garegin II and the bishops are accused of failing to comply with a court order that prohibited the implementation of a canonical decision by the Catholicos.

The proceedings were launched in February and are linked to allegations of obstructing the enforcement of a court order in a case concerning the defrocking of Saroyan.

By Aghakazim Guliyev