Yerevan criminal court of general jurisdiction Judge Vahagn Melikyan, who was assigned the “criminal case” against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and six bishops who are members of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apostolic Church, has appealed to the Court of Cassation to resolve the issue of jurisdiction, the court confirmed to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Thus, the third judge has declined to preside over this “criminal case.” The first judge examining this “case,” Hakob Manukyan, had recused himself on August 7. On August 10, this “case” was assigned to Judge Serzh Rushanyan of the court of first instance of general jurisdiction of Armavir Province, but this judge had sent this “case” to the Yerevan court of general jurisdiction.

The Catholicos of All Armenians is charged with using his official powers to obstruct the execution of a judicial act that has entered into legal force by. The same charge has also been brought against Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, Archbishop Haigazun Najarian, Bishop Moushegh Babayan, Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan, Bishop Makar Hakobyan, and Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian.

The “case” is related to the judicial process regarding the tenure of the now defrocked primate of the Diocese of Masis of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Gevorg Saroyan—now Arman Saroyan.

On January 10, Saroyan was dismissed from the aforesaid position by order of Karekin II. Saroyan had challenged the decision in court, and the latter applied a measure of security of the claim to ensure his tenure until the final judicial act in the “case.”

According to the prosecution, the execution of that judicial act was subsequently hindered. In February, a travel ban was imposed on Catholicos Karekin II as a pretrial measure, preventing him from leaving Armenia.