Group formed to defend Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhian

ArmInfo. A defense group is being formed for the head of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhian. This was reported on a social network by the rector of the Academy of Advocates Ara Zohrabyan.

The day before, the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia reported  that a criminal case was opened against the archbishop on June 17,  2025, under Part 2 of Article 422 of the Criminal Code of the  Republic of Armenia. The article concerns public calls for the  seizure of power, violation of territorial integrity, renunciation of  sovereignty or violent overthrow of the constitutional order  (punishable by imprisonment for a term of 2 to 5 years). Early in the  morning, security forces came to search the residence of the head of  the Shirak Diocese of the AAC. <For there to be a crime, the calls  must be obvious and clear, addressed to a wide range of people,  encouraging them to take SPECIFIC ACTIONS.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Michael's critical speech regarding the past  did not and could not have any consequences.

We are forming a defense team of lawyers to protect Archbishop Mikael  Ajapakhyan from this latest action by the government's anti-church  movement>, wrote Zograbya