Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes as follows, in particular: The RA Investigative Committee has postponed the motion to return the personal belongings of the clergy of the Diocese of Aragatsotn [of the Armenian Apostolic Church] and their family members. In other words, it has refused to return the clergy’s phones, the tablets belonging to [their] children, and other items, because, as Zhoghovurd daily learned, the phones of the clergy are currently undergoing active inspection by law enforcement system.

Let us recall that last month, on October 15, law enforcement agencies had carried out large-scale searches in the homes of a number of clergy of the Diocese of Aragatsotn and civilian employees of the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to lawyers, during the searches, not only the clergy’s phones were confiscated, but also the phones of their family members, children’s tablets, and various personal items. (…).

Let us recall that on October 15, the primate of the Diocese of Aragatsotn, spiritual pastor of Saghmosavank [church] Father Paren Arakelyan, and three employees of the Diocese of Aragatsotn—the accountant, the treasurer, and the referent—were detained. In total, the number of detained clergy had reached 12. Let us noted that for a long time on the day of the incident, the location of four detained clergy—Father Hambardzum, Father Narek, Father Sargis, Father Oshin, and the primate of the Diocese of Aragatsotn, Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan—was unknown; the latter is the son of the sister of the Catholicos of All Armenians [Karekin II].

Regarding the incident, the RA Investigative Committee had reported that “a criminal proceeding has been initiated in connection with the use of government or official authority or the influence derived from it to obstruct or coerce the holding of an assembly or participation in it, as well as incitement to materially benefit in order to participate in the assembly or refuse to participate," within the framework of which necessary procedural and evidentiary actions are being taken.

However, more than two weeks have already passed, but the investigative body has still not returned the seized personal belongings. According to Zhoghovurd daily’s information, lawyers have filed appeals on this matter both to the RA Prosecutor General and to the head of the Investigative Committee, but to date no response or official reply has been received. In practice, the investigative body still retains people’s personal belongings; as described by the lawyers, this is being done without legal grounds, in violation of the principle of inviolability of private life.