The public prosecutor in the case of Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan has called for a two-year and six-month prison sentence for the clergyman.

A Yerevan court, on September 24, found Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan, Shirak Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church,  guilty on charges that he publicly called for seizing power and overthrowing constitutional order in Armenia, 

On June 25, Armenian law enforcement raided Ajapahyan’s residence in Gyumri, part of a larger crackdown on opposition figures, including other senior clergy, who called for Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation.

Police attempted to arrest Ajapahyan on June 27, following a clergy meeting at the Etchmiadzin Holy See. Ajapahyan left the building, escorted by Catholicos Garegin II, and was immediately surrounded by hundreds of supporters. Police officers finally left Etchmiadzin, arguing they didn’t want to escalate an already tense situation.

Ajapahyan voluntarily surrendered to police later that evening.

At today’s court session, Ajapahyan’s defense team motioned for the judge to recuse herself, arguing she's displayed a biased attitude towards the clergyman. The court rejected the motion.

Ajapahyan faces a fine of twenty to fifty times the amount of the fine, or community service of one hundred and fifty to two hundred and seventy hours, or restriction of liberty for a period of one to three years, or short-term imprisonment for a period of one to two months, or imprisonment for a period of two to five years.

Ajapahyan denies the charges and claims he’s being politically persecuted as part of the government's actions to persecute church members

The court will issue its verdict on October 3.