Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated in Armenia against the judge presiding over the case of Catholicos Garegin II

The Armenian Ministry of Justice has initiated disciplinary proceedings against Hakob Manukyan, a judge in the Armavir region. The proceedings were prompted by the judge’s recusal, which was declared in connection with a high-profile criminal case brought against Catholicos Garegin II of All Armenians and several bishops.

According to the case file, the legal proceedings against the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church and six bishops were initiated by the Armenian Prosecutor’s Office in February 2026. The charges relate to the alleged obstruction of a court ruling to reinstate one of the clergymen. A hearing on the Ministry of Justice’s motion to impose disciplinary sanctions on Judge Hakob Manukyan is scheduled for November 16.

The conflict between the Armenian authorities and the clergy has significantly escalated amid political disagreements. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has openly called for the removal of Garegin II from his lifetime post, a move experts describe as the culmination of a protracted standoff that began in the wake of the 2020 events surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. The situation surrounding the Church has been marked by regular legal proceedings and the arrests of senior clergy, causing serious concern among the public and the faithful.