Home Arrest Imposed on 60-Year-Old Accountant of Aragatsotn Diocese

The judge of the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan, Manvel Shahverdyan, did not grant the request to detain Naira Alaverdyan, a 60-year-old accountant of the Aragatsotn Diocese. Instead, a home arrest measure was chosen for her.

It is noteworthy that on October 15, the Investigative Committee conducted searches at the homes of several clergymen of the Aragatsotn Diocese, as well as at the diocese's main office, accompanied by the National Security Service. Three individuals, including the diocesan leader, Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, have been arrested.

Today, Bishop Mkrtich has been placed under two months of detention, while the head of the diocesan office, Father Garegin Arsenyan, has been detained for one month. The leader of the Aragatsotn Diocese is the nephew of Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II.

The Investigative Committee initiated the proceedings based on a report from the public organization “Voter-Intelligent Citizens’ Union,” which relates to the statement made by Father Aram Asatryan, the spiritual leader of the Hovhannes Monastery, during a public broadcast. The priest stated that he participated in the opposition protests of 2021 not of his own desire but under instructions from his superiors. Considering that compelling participation in a public rally constitutes an act defined in the Criminal Code, the “Voter-Intelligent Citizens’ Union” requested an investigation into the matter.