亚美尼亚使徒教会领袖卡雷金二世及其他6名高级神职人员因违抗法院命令而被起诉[1]。这起诉讼涉及教会拒绝执行关于恢复已被免职主教职位的裁定[1]。若被定罪，被告最多面临两年监禁[1]。
这场司法冲突反映了教会与总理帕希尼扬政府之间的深层分歧[1]。教会因反对亚美尼亚向阿塞拜疆移交边境村庄以及与邻国关系正常化的政策而与政府对立[1]。2024年期间，数万示威者在高级神职人员的领导下举行抗议活动，要求帕希尼扬下台[1]。
首次庭审在亚美尼亚精神首都瓦格沙帕特进行，随后主审法官提出回避[1]。教会律师阿拉·佐格拉比扬对此表示支持，称："我欢迎法官的这一举动，因为实际上他拒绝成为这一可耻诉讼的一部分"[1]。此前，两名其他高级神职人员也因政治相关指控遭遇司法程序：米卡埃尔·阿贾帕扬曾被控鼓动推翻政府但后被推翻指控，巴格拉特·加尔斯坦扬则因涉嫌尝试政变、煽动大规模骚乱及准备恐怖袭击而被软禁接受审判[1]。
Catholicos Karekin II, the spiritual leader of Armenia's Apostolic Church, and six other senior clerics have been prosecuted for defying a court order to reinstate a dismissed bishop [1]. The charges stem from an ongoing conflict between the church and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government, which has intensified over the past year as the church has opposed Armenia's normalization of relations with Azerbaijan and the transfer of border villages to the neighboring nation [1].
If convicted, the defendants face up to two years in prison [1]. The initial hearing took place in Vagharshapat, Armenia's spiritual capital, but the judge subsequently recused himself from the case [1]. Church lawyer Alla Zograbian commented on the judge's withdrawal, stating: "I welcome this action by the judge because he actually refused to become part of this shameful prosecution" [1].
The legal proceedings reflect broader tensions between the church and state. In 2024, tens of thousands of demonstrators led by senior clerics called for Pashinyan's resignation [1]. Additionally, two other high-ranking church figures have faced separate legal troubles: Mikael Adjapyan was arrested on charges of inciting the overthrow of the government, though those charges were later dropped, while Bagrat Galstyan has been under house arrest facing accusations including attempting a coup, inciting mass riots, and preparing terrorist attacks [1].