Lawyer claims Armenian authorities paving the way for church leader’s arrest

Human rights lawyer Ruben Melikyan on Friday accused Armenia’s “occupational regime” of preparing the ground for the arrest of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Melikyan said pro-government media had released an alleged 2023 audio recording of a conversation between Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan and former cleric Aghan (Levon) Yernjakyan, in which the latter claimed Karekin II had urged him to join anti-government protests.

“The next steps are clear. The only question is when they will be taken – today, tomorrow or in a few days,” Melikyan wrote on Facebook, warning that the Armenian Apostolic Church should be ready for further pressure.

Yernjakyan was defrocked at his own request in December 2023, according to a statement from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.