Armenian Government Opens Criminal Case Against Catholicos Karekin II, Imposes Travel Ban Before Bishops’ Assembly

Two days before the upcoming Bishops’ Assembly in Austria, Armenia’s Prosecutor’s Office launched a criminal case against the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church and imposed a travel ban on Karekin II, preventing him from leaving the country.

Attorney Ara Zohrabyan confirmed that the Prosecutor’s Office has initiated criminal prosecution against the Catholicos of All Armenians and that an investigator attempted to question His Holiness. According to Zohrabyan, the Catholicos is accused of obstructing the enforcement of a judicial act in a case involving six high-ranking clergymen who were charged weeks earlier. Their charges made it impossible for them to take part in the Bishops’ Assembly scheduled to be held in Austria on February 16–19.

Zohrabyan described the move as interference in the internal affairs of the Church. He stated that the travel ban imposed on the Catholicos as a preventive measure is obstructing the holding of the Bishops’ Assembly.

The case centers on Bishop Gevorg, one of ten bishops who joined Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s anti-Catholicos campaign. The Catholicos had removed him from office, but a court later ordered that he be reinstated. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin did not reinstate him and instead defrocked him, declaring that such matters fall outside the jurisdiction of civil courts and constitute interference in the Church’s autonomy. Investigators considered this decision to be obstruction of a judicial act. The case has now extended to the Catholicos himself.

At this time, the Prosecutor’s Office is refusing to provide further information. The Mother See has not yet issued an official statement. As a result, the fate of the Bishops’ Assembly in Austria remains uncertain.

In a warning from the Prime Minister:

“There will be counteraction, and it will be very harsh,” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated.

The prime minister said that for the past eight months he has been attempting to remove the Catholicos from office. “Engaging in a conspiratorial plan seriously undermines Armenia’s state security, and the Republic of Armenia is not going to watch as an observer.”

In previous statements, Pashinyan accused the Catholicos of violating his vow of celibacy, breaching the Church charter, serving foreign states, and extremism. He has now introduced a new claim, again without presenting concrete evidence and referring to special services.

“This story is about taking the Catholicosate out of Armenia, and I will not allow that. If additional measures are necessary, additional measures will be taken. The goal of those people is to remove the Catholicosate from Armenia together with the treasures of Etchmiadzin. We will not allow it,” the prime minister said.

The Mother See has not yet officially responded to this latest accusation.

Several clergy members rejected the prime minister’s claims. The spiritual pastor of St. Hovhannes Church of Byurakan described the statements as disinformation and said the prime minister is discrediting people in the lowest possible way.

In an interview with Azatutyun, Father Vrtanes Baghalyan said that the situation surrounding the Church in recent months led to the decision to discuss Church matters outside Etchmiadzin and in a foreign country. According to him, the prime minister is trying to obstruct the activities of the Catholicos and the Church in Etchmiadzin.

While the government maintains that its campaign aims to reform the Armenian Apostolic Church, Father Vrtanes said that holding assemblies outside Etchmiadzin is not unusual. He noted that past assemblies have taken place in Artashat, Dvin, Manazkert, and other locations. He also recalled that in 2016, the Bishops’ Assembly was held in Stepanakert. He said the location itself is not essential and that the decision to hold the assembly in Austria is linked to what he described as obstruction by the prime minister.

Several dioceses have been affected in recent months. The clergyman said that due to decisions by authorities, high-ranking clergy have been transferred from Church service to prison and placed on trial. He stated that similar situations now exist in the dioceses of Aragatsotn, Gugark, Tavush, and Shirak, where leaders are under orders not to be absent.

Father Vrtanes also expressed concern that instead of addressing security and social challenges, the authorities are focusing on the Church and attempting to carry out reforms through selected clergy members. He said they will not succeed.

Meanwhile, Pashinyan also addressed certain members of the Armenian Diaspora, warning of harsh counteraction. “Recently, those hiding behind the mask of benefactors and chasing the treasures of Etchmiadzin… we will redirect the gaze of those who have set their eyes on the treasures of Etchmiadzin to a completely different direction.”

A day earlier, a group of prominent diaspora Armenians said that ongoing attacks on the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church and calls for the forced removal of its head pose risks for Armenians worldwide. Among those who have publicly opposed the government’s declared Church reforms are Armenian-American businessman Noubar Afeyan, Swiss-Armenian Vahe Gabrash, Lord Ara Darzi, businessman and philanthropist Vache Manukyan, and other members of the Diaspora.

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