Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin strongly condemns prosecution of  Catholicos of All Armenians

ArmInfo. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin strongly condemned and expressed deep indignation over the criminal case brought against Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.

A statement released by the Press Office of the Mother See of Holy  Etchmiadzin also condemned the Armenian Prosecutor's Office's ban on  His Holiness leaving the territory of the Republic of Armenia.

"These actions against the Primate of All Armenians are unfounded,  illegal, and clearly political in nature.  Clearly, through  unconstitutional and illegal interference in the internal affairs of  the Church, the authorities are hindering the pastoral work of the  Supreme Patriarch.

All of this also demonstrates disrespect for millions of believers  and for the centuries-old institution that has been and remains the  unshakable pillar of Armenian statehood," the statement from  Etchmiadzin reads.

The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin also called for an immediate  review of the illegal decisions made against the Catholicos of All  Armenians, six bishops, members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, and  its Secretary. "These decisions are dividing our society and  undermining the authority and prestige of our homeland," Etchmiadzin  added. On February 14, it was announced that the Prosecutor General's  Office of Armenia had opened a criminal case against the Catholicos  of All Armenians for failing to comply with a court order filed by  defrocked monastic Arman Saroyan.

He has been placed on bail. Similar charges were previously brought  against six members of the Supreme Spiritual Council and the  Council's Secretary. Lawyer Ara Zohrabyan expressed his conviction  that these actions by the Armenian authorities are aimed at  disrupting the meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council, which was  scheduled to take place from February 16-19 in Austria. It is also  noteworthy that the case was opened a day after Nikol Pashinyan  announced that he would not allow the Catholicosate to leave Armenia.