Overview

• A Yerevan court remanded Bishop Mkrtich (Ayk Proshyan) for two months and limited his visits to close relatives, according to his lawyer.
• Investigators have charged the diocesan head with coercing participation in lawful assemblies and unlawful influence on election results.
• Dawn searches on October 15 targeted the Aragatsotn diocese and clerics' homes, with officials reporting seizures of electronic media, large sums of cash, gold and silver jewelry, and fuel coupons.
• Accounts of detentions diverge, with the Investigative Committee confirming three, the Armenian Apostolic Church reporting 13, and defense lawyers citing eight at one point.
• The probe followed a priest’s TV statement that he was compelled to join opposition rallies in 2021, while the Church decries a systematic anti‑church campaign and legal teams prepare appeals.