We Will Initiate Certain Proceedings Against the Judge: Defense Team of Archbishop Mikayel

A unique event is taking place in our country: for the first time, a petition is being submitted to imprison an individual under a medium severity crime, despite the fact that the same article provides for 5 different types of penalties, including fines, community service, restriction of freedom, and more. This was stated by defense attorney Yerem Sargsyan during a press briefing with journalists after additional hearings in the case of Shirak Diocese leader Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan.

According to him, while the prosecutor could have petitioned for a different penalty, a request has been made to imprison him for 2 years and 6 months immediately. It is also evident to another defense attorney, Ara Zohrapyan, that the court is constrained.

He added that regardless of what sentence the court will reach, there is already a guilty verdict in which the archbishop has been recognized as a defendant, which contradicts the truth. The defense team plans to appeal this.

The attorneys emphasized that after the verdict, they also intend to initiate certain proceedings against Judge Armine Meliksetyan.