Head of the Armenian Church in court

Armenia today began the trial of the head of the ancient Armenian Apostolic Church and six other senior church dignitaries for disobeying a state order, the latest step in a clash with the government, which accuses the church leader of having ties to foreign intelligence services.

However, the first hearing was quickly interrupted after the judge recused himself from the proceedings, Armenian media reported. It was not announced when the trial might resume.

Pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeatedly called for the resignation of Catholicos Karekin II, who has led the Church since 1999 and has been a harsh critic of Pashinyan's policies.

Pashinyan, who was re-elected to office in June, has accused the Armenian Apostolic Church, without providing evidence, of acting as an intermediary for foreign powers, primarily Russia. Karekin and the church leadership reject these accusations.

The trial was to consider charges against Karekin and six priests for allegedly disobeying a civil court decision to temporarily reinstate a bishop who had been defrocked by the Church. If found guilty, they face up to two years in prison.

The proceedings were, however, halted after the sole judge in the case announced that he could not continue his work, as his license to practice law had been issued by the legal representative of the head of the Church, A1+ television and other media reported.

This is the most significant legal challenge faced so far by the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church, one of the most influential institutions in the country that adopted Christianity in 301 AD.

The case comes at a time of deepening conflict between Church and state due to Pashinyan's policies and the way he is conducting peace negotiations with Azerbaijan after a series of wars that have lasted since the 1980s.

Moving away from Russia

Pashinyan has received strong support from the European Union as he seeks to bring Armenia closer to the West and away from Russian influence, which has angered Moscow, which has banned the import of a number of Armenian products.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that it doubts the Armenian leadership's sincere intention to cooperate with Moscow. Russia has a large military base in Armenia.

Opposition politicians, church dignitaries, and civil society organizations claim that the trial against the Catholicos is politically motivated and part of a broader crackdown by the government on critics.

Anna Melikyan, a lawyer with the organization "Protection of Rights Without Borders", assessed that the procedure represents a violation of the constitutional independence of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

"This is clear interference by the executive branch in church matters," she said.

"There are numerous doubts about the independence of the judiciary in Armenia, and when it comes to politically sensitive cases, including proceedings against the Church and clergy, these doubts become even more pronounced," Melikyan added.

The Prime Minister's Office and the State Prosecutor's Office did not respond to requests for comment.

Senior church officials demand the resignation of the prime minister

The Armenian Apostolic Church has millions of followers in Armenia, which is considered the first Christian country in the world, but also around the world.

The trial stems from the case of Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, who was dismissed after the Church accused him of abuse of office. Saroyan had publicly called for Karekin's resignation and openly supported Pashinyan.

Two years ago, another prominent cleric, Bagrat Galstanyan, who is currently under house arrest, led protests against Pashinyan over territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. Karekin himself supported calls for the prime minister to resign.

“Pashinyan began to perceive the Church as a political threat, that is, as an institution that could support the opposition and various political parties in their attempt to come to power,” said Tigran Grigoryan, director of the Yerevan-based Regional Center for Democracy and Security.

Grigoryan believes that the proceedings against the church dignitaries fit into a broader pattern of selective application of justice, which, according to him, is being carried out by the Pashinyan government, and which has led to the detention of prominent opposition leaders and the seizure of some of their property.