The Judge Knew Long Ago That He Had to Convict Archbishop Mikayel: Lawyer

"The law requires us to address the evidence presented by the prosecution and refute the charges, regardless of the fact that the presiding judge has long known that he must convict His Eminence Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan and has no choice but to consider him guilty." This statement was made today by lawyer Yerem Sargsyan during the court session regarding the case of Mikayel Archbishop Ajapahyan at the General Jurisdiction Criminal Court of Yerevan.

"However, the presiding judge had and still has this option, but due to fears, he is unable to break free from it and prefers to openly violate the law," noted Yerem Sargsyan.

According to the lawyer, the judge has already proven through his behavior that regardless of the presence or absence of evidence, regardless of the existence or non-existence of a crime, the outcome is the same—Mikayel Archbishop Ajapahyan will be found guilty.

It should be noted that during the session, the public prosecutor delivering the closing speech motioned for the conviction of Archbishop Mikayel. In his closing speech, Prosecutor Vahan Harutyunyan quoted excerpts from interviews given by Archbishop Mikayel to the media.

It is noteworthy that the court has completed the main trial hearings in just 20 days, and the case is now in the final phase.

Recall that Archbishop Mikayel has been charged with preparing for terrorism and inciting mass riots.