The Court of Appeal of Armenia on Friday announced its ruling on the defense lawyers’ motion to lift the detention of Archbishop Mikael Ajapahian, the jailed Primate of the Diocese of Shirak of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the court ruled that he be placed under house arrest.

In the previous court session, the defense had filed a motion to lift the detention, taking into account Archbishop Ajapahian’s poor health, his upcoming second surgery, and the risks associated with his returning to the penitentiary after the surgery.

Archbishop Ajapahian had been sentenced to two years in prison on charges of publicly calling for a seizure of power in Armenia.

The lawyers and the prosecution had appealed the judicial act to the Court of Appeal.

Archbishop Mikael Ajapahian has health problems, and his lawyers argue that imprisonment is not a permissible measure of restraint, but rather a suppression of freedom of speech.