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
- Astana LRT Operator Looks For Funding In China
- Smoke From Russian Wildfires Reaches Eastern Kazakhstan
- Kazakhstan Offers EU A Broader Partnership In Eurasia
- Oil Leak Reported In Caspian Sea Near Azerbaijan Coast
- Kazakhstan To Build 250 Roadside Service Stations For 180 Billion Tenge
- Police Chase With Kazakh Driver In Phuket Ends In Crash And Injuries
- Foreigners Moving To Kazakhstan Are Choosing Big Cities Over Most Regions
- Turkestan Region Leads Kazakhstan In Twin Births
- From Grain To AI: What Kazakhstan Brought To Afghanistan
- Helicopters Drop 39 Tons Of Water On Forest Fire In East Kazakhstan
- Kazakhstan Tightens Border Checks Despite Saying There Is No Fuel Shortage
- Kazakhstan Seeks Greek Investment In Energy And Transport
- Global Rating Agency Confirms Kazakhstan’s Investment-Grade Status
- Kazakh Company Sent $16 Million To China, Got No Goods And A Huge Fine
- Kazakh Parties Are Losing Focus With Overly Broad Programs, Expert Says
- Almaty Man Registered 990 People In One-Room Apartment And Received Sentence
- Montenegro President Makes First Official Visit To Kazakhstan
- Gas Prices In Kazakhstan To Rise From July 1
- Kazakhstan’s Oldest Gold Mining Company Resold For 8.7 Billion Tenge
- Kazakhstanis With Disabilities Can Check Building Accessibility Online
