Criminal proceedings launched over call for violence against the Catholicos

During Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Garni to attend a church service, a Civic.am journalist affiliated with the Civil Contract Party asked a local resident what should be done for the Catholicos of All Armenians to leave his post. The citizen replied: “They should throw a stone at his head, they should kill him.”

According to the Ishkhanutyun news agency, the citizen in question is Garni resident Edward Stepanyan, known locally by the nickname “Edo of Jndo.”

Criminal liability is provided for disseminating calls for violence through information technologies.

Aysor.am contacted the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Armenia to clarify how the matter had developed.

“On January 7, 2026, criminal proceedings were initiated under Article 330, Part 2, Clause 3 of the Criminal Code. A preliminary investigation is underway,” the Prosecutor General’s Office reported.