A new judge has been appointed in the case of Karekin II.

Judge Serge Rushanyan has accepted the case of the Catholicos of All Armenians and six bishops.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", Judge Akop Manukyan recused himself at the first hearing on August 7 in the criminal case of the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and six hierarchs. The Catholicos, two archbishops, and four bishops are accused of obstructing the execution of a court order.

Judge Serge Rushanyan has accepted the case of the Catholicos of All Armenians and six bishops. According to the Judicial Department, the court session is scheduled for August 28 at 16:30 (15:30 Moscow time), reports Yerevan Today.

The conflict between the authorities of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church has been ongoing since 2018, when Pashinyan came to power. This conflict became evident against the backdrop of the 2020 Karabakh war and the authorities' desire to improve relations with Turkey, analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" noted.

In May 2025, Nikol Pashinyan sharply criticized the church, and in response to the objections of Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan, he replied with insults on Facebook*. Armenian politicians and church representatives demanded an apology from Pashinyan for the insults to the church.

More about the persecution of political opponents of the current authorities in Armenia can be read in the "Caucasian Knot" reference "Main points about political arrests in Armenia in the summer of 2025".