Bishops Hovnan, Makar, Mushegh and Archbishop Haykazun summoned to Investigative Committee

Members of the Supreme Spiritual Council have received summonses from the RA Investigative Committee to appear for questioning.

The Primate of the Gugarats Diocese, Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan; the Primate of the Syunik Diocese, Bishop Makar Hakobyan; Archbishop Haykazun Najaryan; and Bishop Mushegh Babayan have all been summoned to the Investigative Committee.

Lawyer Armine Fanyan told Aysor.am that they have been summoned in connection with the same case as before, concerning the obstruction of a judicial act.

The Investigative Committee declined to provide comments to Aysor.am. “We do not comment,” said the spokesperson.

Yesterday, the secular members of the Supreme Spiritual Council were also summoned. 

Currently, six bishops and one priest of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin are listed as defendants. They face accusations of obstructing a judicial act that requires the reinstatement of Arman Saroyan as Primate of the Masyatsotn Diocese.

The Investigative Committee has summoned Fathers Makar, Hovnan, Nathan, Haykazun, Mushegh, and Vahan, as well as Father Movses. The preventive measure imposed on them is a prohibition on leaving their residence.

On January 27, a meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council was held at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, chaired by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. During the meeting, the Council proposed that the Catholicos declare Bishop Gevorg Saroyan deposed. Subsequently, the Mother See issued a statement confirming that, by pontifical decree, Bishop Saroyan had been deposed.