Mikayel Archbishops' Defenders File Appeal Against First Instance Court Ruling

The team of defenders for Mikayel Archbishop Ajapahyan, leader of the Shirak Diocese, has filed an appeal against the ruling that sentenced the clergyman to two years in prison. This was reported on the Facebook page of Mikayel the Saint's defense team.

“Today, the defenders of Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan submitted an appeal against the October 3 ruling of the first instance court, presided over by judge Armine Meliksetyan (the judgement was received by the defenders on October 15). The defenders have requested the complete annulment of the verdict and the issuance of a new judicial act recognizing and declaring the innocence of Mikayel (Gevorg) Artashes Ajapahyan,” the statement reads.

It is worth mentioning that a criminal case was initiated against Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan for publicly calling for the usurpation of power, violation of territorial integrity, renunciation of sovereignty, or violent overthrow of the constitutional order. He was arrested on June 28. On October 3, the general jurisdiction judge Armine Meliksetyan announced the verdict against Mikayel the Saint, finding him guilty and sentencing him to two years of imprisonment.