The Hraparak daily of Armenia writes as follows: According to our information, the authorities are preparing new criminal proceedings against [Catholicos of All Armenians] Karekin II. We were told that the Investigative Committee [of Armenia] is investigating a charge under the “money laundering” article [of the Criminal Code]. The director of Shoghakat television company, Manya Ghazaryan, who is also included in the case, was questioned within the framework of these proceedings.

We petitioned to the Prosecutor General’s Office, they demanded a written request. Before we received an answer to our request, we tried to ask Manya Ghazaryan questions: Have you been summoned to the investigative body? Within the framework of what case? In what status? And does it relate to the Catholicos? Does he have any status in that case?

We received a short answer from Mrs. Ghazaryan: “Yes, I have been summoned to the Investigative Committee as a witness. I cannot provide details about the questioning, as I do not know whether I have the right to do so or not. I can only say that the criminal case has nothing to do with Shoghakat, it is a clearly unfounded criminal case, and I do not see anything serious.”

According to our information, the case concerns an apartment that the Mother See [of Holy Etchmiadzin] allocated to the long-time director of Shoghakat from its fund. Later, the owner sold that apartment. And the Investigative Committee qualifies that transaction as money laundering that was carried out by the Catholicos of All Armenians.