Armenian Court Finds Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan Guilty of Calls to Seize Power
Photo: Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan, head of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Photo by Valen1988, October 16, 2015. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 .
On September 24, a Yerevan court found Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, head of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, guilty of “public calls to seize power in Armenia,” Orda.kz reports, citing The Caucasian Knot.
Ajapahyan was detained on June 27 after voluntarily appearing at the Investigative Committee and charged under Part 2 of Article 422 of the Criminal Code. He faces two to five years in prison. His arrest sparked clashes between security forces and parishioners.
The archbishop denies the charges, calling the case political persecution of the clergy.
His defense argues the accusations are based on a year-old interview where he spoke of the need for a coup —remarks prosecutors previously dismissed. Authorities now claim he repeated similar statements in June 2025.
His sentence will be announced on September 29.
Latest news
- Zhezkazgan Airport Resumes Operations After An-12 Emergency Landing
- Middle East Escalation Disrupts Kazakhstan–Dubai Flights
- Three Rare Neolithic Burials Discovered in Kostanay Region
- Minister Promises Better Internet Access for Rural Areas
- Will Trump Visit Kazakhstan?
- Six-Lane Road to Almaty’s Ring Road Planned, Around 200 Land Plots Bought Out
- Housing Sales in Kazakhstan Rise 28% in One Month
- East Kazakhstan Residents Question Gas Station Restrictions on Fuel Canisters
- New Committee to Oversee Crypto Market and Payment System
- MFA Confirms Death of Young Kazakhstani Woman in Antalya
- Source of Shymkent Air Pollution Complaints Still Unclear
- Why Cheap Kazakh Gasoline Is Becoming a Regional Issue
- Southern Kazakhstan Records Magnitude 4.5 Earthquake
- Almaty Residents Oppose Covering City’s Open Irrigation Canals
- Where Are Incomes Highest in Kazakhstan After Almaty?
- Landfill Fire Breaks Out in Astana
- Qatari-Kazakh Gas Pipeline Project Gets Another $500 Million
- Russian City May Name Square After Tokayev’s Father
- Kazakhstanis Will Not Face New Loan Restrictions
- Dead Seals Found Near Aktau May Have Come From Iran, Officials Say
