Armenian cleric facing overthrow charges stays behind bars after appeal fails

The Court of Appeal in Armenia has upheld the detention of Archbishop Mikael Ajapahian, Primate of the Diocese of Shirak of the Armenian Apostolic Church, rejecting a motion filed by his legal defence team challenging his arrest.

The archbishop’s lawyers had petitioned the court to either revoke the arrest order or replace it with an alternative form of pre-trial restraint, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

However, presiding Judge Vatche Markarian dismissed both the appeal and, reportedly, a related motion requesting his own recusal from the case.

“The judge has rejected our complaint regarding the archbishop’s arrest. It appears he also denied the motion for his recusal,” the legal team said in a statement.

The matter of pre-trial measures, including possible alternatives to detention, is expected to be re-examined during preliminary court proceedings.

Archbishop Ajapahian is currently facing criminal charges linked to alleged public calls for the overthrow of constitutional order and the renunciation of state sovereignty—serious accusations that have drawn widespread attention within Armenia and beyond.

By Vafa Guliyeva