Law Enforcement Still Has Not Returned Personal Items of Clerics from Aragatsotn Diocese

Defenders of the clerics from the Aragatsotn Diocese have reported that their and their family members' personal belongings have not yet been returned by law enforcement authorities.

According to lawyers, during searches conducted on October 15, not only were the clerics' phones confiscated, but also tablets belonging to their children and other personal items. The searches took place at the homes of several clerics from the Aragatsotn Diocese and civil employees of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Following the incident, the lawyers noted that among the seized items were personal and family materials unrelated to the criminal case.

Two weeks have passed since then, but the investigative body has still not returned the seized items. According to information from the “Zhoghovurd” newspaper, lawyers have submitted applications to the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia and the head of the Investigative Committee, but have not yet received a response.

Lawyers believe that the retention of personal items by the investigative body without legal justification constitutes a violation of the principle of inviolability of personal life.

For more details, see today’s edition of the newspaper.