Defenders of Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, Leader of the Shirak Diocese, Appeal the 2-Year Imprisonment Sentence
The defenders of Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, Leader of the Shirak Diocese, have appealed the first instance court’s verdict sentencing him to 2 years of imprisonment to the Court of Appeals. The defense team requested that the verdict be fully overturned and a new judicial act be issued, recognizing the cleric’s innocence.
According to the defense team’s statement, they intend to present evidence and arguments to the Court of Appeals that substantiate the cleric’s innocence, and they are demanding a new judicial act, after which the previous decision will be entirely quashed.
The criminal case against Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan was initiated under Part 2 of Article 422 of the RA Criminal Code, which pertains to public calls aimed at seizing power, violating territorial integrity, renouncing sovereignty, or violently overthrowing the constitutional order.
Ajapahyan was arrested on June 28, and on October 3, Judge Armine Meliksetyan of the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction found him guilty and sentenced him to 2 years of imprisonment. The defenders state that the verdict of the first instance court is not substantiated and do not accept that Ajapahyan committed the acts attributed to him.