The criminal case against His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and six bishops has hit another procedural obstacle, with a third judge now declining to move forward with the case.
Judge Vahagn Melikyan of the Yerevan Criminal Court of First Instance has asked Armenia’s Court of Cassation to resolve the question of jurisdiction and determine which court should hear the case. The court confirmed the development to Sputnik Armenia.
The case was first assigned to Judge Hakob Manukyan of the Armavir Regional Court, who recused himself shortly after the first hearing began.
It was then reassigned to Judge Serzh Rushanyan, who ruled that prosecutors had failed to establish grounds for the case to remain in Armavir and ordered it transferred to the Yerevan Criminal Court of First Instance.
The case was subsequently assigned to Melikyan, who has now referred the jurisdiction issue to the Court of Cassation instead of proceeding with the hearing.
The case against Catholicos Karekin II and the six bishops remains without a court moving forward with the proceedings.
