In a new twist to the story of top-ranking clergy in Armenia being criminally prosecuted on charges that they allegedly called for the removal of Nikol Pashinyan as the country’s prime minister, reports surfaced today that the Primate of the Aragatzotn Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, and six of the priests of the diocese have been arrested.

Lawyers for the detained clergyman have identified those arrested and claim that law enforcement have searched their homes.

Armineh Fanyan, one of the lawyers, described the arrest of Bishop Proshyan as an “enforced disappearance” given that his whereabouts are unknown.

“It turns out that the archbishop is now outside of legal protection and is even deprived of the opportunity to meet and consult with his lawyers,” Fanyan told reporters today.

The lawyer claims the arrests stem from a TV interview given by Father Aram Asatryan, an Aragatzotn parish priest, that he was coerced to attend anti-government rallies in 2021.

Thousands took to the streets of Yerevan in November 2020 to oppose the government’s ceasefire deal with Azerbaijan to end the war in Karabakh. The protests continued throughout November and into the spring of 2021 with demonstrations in Yerevan and other cities demanding the resignation of Nikol Pashinyan.

Catholicos Karekin II joined other politicians calling for Pashinyan’s resignation.

Kima Avdalyan, spokesperson for Armenia’s Investigative Committee, has said that a criminal case has been launched on Father Asatryan’s allegations.

Bishop Proshyan, the nephew of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, is the third high-ranking clergyman in Armenia facing criminal charges.

A Yerevan court, on October 3, sentenced Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan, Shirak Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church, to two-years imprisonment after he was found guilty on charges that he publicly called for seizing power and overthrowing the constitutional order in Armenia.

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is also in pre-trial detention on similar charges. He led a protest movement in 2024 opposing the Armenian government’s plan to handover border regions to Azerbaijan.