Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan’s defense team plans to apply to international courts after completing all domestic procedures, lawyer Ara Zohrabyan told Sputnik Armenia.
“In Archbishop Mikael’s case, we have already entered the detention phase, and we are now preparing a package to apply to the European Court. We will file it by February 4–5,” he said.
Zohrabyan noted that he does not recall any precedent in which disputes related to church–state relations were taken to international judicial bodies.
“I only remember similar persecution of the Church during the Soviet Union in the 1930s. It seems we are witnessing a repetition of that,” the lawyer said.
He also referred to the events at the Talin church, stressing that the Constitution, Armenian legislation, and international law prohibit state authorities from interfering in internal church affairs or obstructing religious rites.
“That Nikol Pashinyan is officially organizing this process and bears personal responsibility for this anti-church policy is a fact. He is using all instruments of power against the Church. Now he presents himself as a Christian and follower of the Armenian Apostolic Church, whereas previously he did not act as a son of the Church. He is not the one to reform it,” Zohrapyan stated.
He emphasized that the Church is a self-governing institution whose autonomy must be respected. According to him, instead of addressing critical national issues, Pashinyan has directly targeted the Church under the pretext of ‘reform.’
“He has already ‘reformed’ our country and our lives — we have seen the results. He has also ‘reformed’ our state borders and Artsakh, and for that we are ‘grateful,’ in quotes. Now he has turned to reforming the Church. This is unlawful activity, and those involved will be held accountable in the future,” he said.
Zohrabyan believes the prime minister has used state mechanisms for pressure and compromising materials.
“We see ten bishops who supposedly joined Nikol Pashinyan, many of whom have numerous stories discussed about them in the public sphere,” he added.
In such circumstances, he said, all legal violations must be documented to prevent further actions by the authorities. Zohrabyan noted that he and several lawyers have so far filed five reports with the прокуратура and investigative bodies, all of which were rejected. They have now gone to court, demanding the initiation of proceedings and formal recognition of the violations.
He also plans to submit a new report regarding the events at the Talin church.
Criminal proceedings were initiated against Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan on charges of calls to seize state power, violate territorial integrity, renounce sovereignty, or overthrow the constitutional order. He was detained on June 28.
On October 3, Judge Armine Meliksetyan of the court of first instance sentenced him to two years in prison. His defense filed an appeal on November 13, seeking to overturn the verdict and declare Mikael (Gevorg) Artashes Ajapahyan innocent. The hearing scheduled for December 15 was postponed. The appeal review is set for January 13, 2026.
