Armenian court lifts travel ban on Catholicos Garegin II

A court in Yerevan has lifted a travel ban imposed on Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, following an appeal by his legal team.

The decision was announced by lawyer Ara Zograbyan on social media, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

The restriction had prevented Garegin II from attending the Synod of Bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Austria and the funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia.

Zograbyan said the defence had previously appealed the investigator’s decision to a higher-ranking prosecutor, but the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office rejected the request. The legal team then brought the case before the Yerevan Court of First Instance, which ruled in favour of lifting the travel restriction.

By Sabina Mammadli