A court in Yerevan, Armenia, sentenced Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan to two years in prison on September 24, 2023, after finding him guilty of inciting an overthrow of the government. The ruling has sparked significant controversy, with Ajapahyan’s lawyer asserting that the charges are politically motivated and pledging to appeal the decision.
Ajapahyan was arrested in June following a tense standoff between security forces and clergy at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Prosecutors accused him of making public calls to seize power and violently overthrow the constitutional order. The arrest was marked by a confrontation with supporters, who gathered to protest against the actions of the authorities. Following his arrest, Ajapahyan was taken to the Investigative Committee and subsequently placed in pretrial detention.
The Armenian Apostolic Church expressed strong disapproval of the court’s decision, labeling it an “anti-church campaign.” This verdict is part of a broader crackdown involving vocal clerics and opposition figures in Armenia. In June, another prominent cleric, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, who leads the Sacred Struggle movement, was also arrested on coup-related charges. Investigators claimed to have uncovered explosives and equipment related to an alleged plot against the government, though Galstanyan’s legal team has dismissed these allegations as unfounded.
Tensions in Armenia have escalated since the government agreed to transfer control of several border villages to Azerbaijan in early 2024 as part of efforts to normalize relations. This decision instigated large-scale protests, with the Sacred Struggle movement expanding its criticisms to encompass broader governmental issues.
While Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders reached a tentative agreement on a peace text in August, a final treaty has yet to be signed or ratified. Ongoing debates regarding security concessions have amplified domestic unrest, further complicating the political landscape.
Ajapahyan’s defense team is expected to challenge both the conviction and the sentence through an appellate review process. Under Armenia’s criminal procedure rules, defendants are entitled to contest trial decisions based on legal and evidential grounds. If the appellate court upholds the conviction, further recourse may be pursued before the cassation court.
The Armenian Apostolic Church has indicated its intention to seek legal remedies and engage in public advocacy as part of its response to the ruling. The church’s leadership is likely to play a significant role in voicing opposition to what they perceive as political repression targeting religious figures and dissenters in Armenia.
