For the first time in Armenia's history, the Catholicos of All Armenians will stand trial

The Catholicos of All Armenians and six members of the Supreme Spiritual Council will appear in court on Friday for the first time in the history of Armenia and the Armenian church.

Preliminary hearings in the criminal case against the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and six bishops have been scheduled for August 7 at 3:00 p.m. (local time) at the court of general jurisdiction of first instance of Armenia's Armavir Province.

In February of this year, Armenia's Prosecutor General's Office opened a criminal case against the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. He is banned from leaving the country.

The criminal case was opened on charges of obstructing the execution of a judicial act related to Arman Saroyan.

By order of the Catholicos, Bishop Saroyan, who had joined the anti-church campaign of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, was removed from the post of head of one of the country's dioceses, and by a decision of the Supreme Spiritual Council he was stripped of his episcopal rank.

Source: Interfax.ru