An Armenian court has sanctioned the arrest of Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan, head of the Etchmiadzin chancery, remanding him in custody for two months. The decision was made by Judge Masis Melkonyan, who previously arrested Archbishops Bagrat Galstanyan and Mikael Ajapakhian.

Arshak Khachatryan was arrested yesterday on drug trafficking charges. Investigators claim that in 2018, he planted drugs in the bag of an activist demanding the resignation of Catholicos Karekin II. The defense insists the charges are absurd and views the arrest as part of the authorities' campaign against the Church.

On November 27, bishops in Armenia issued a statement addressed to Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, demanding his dismissal. Previously, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claimed that the current Catholicos was planning a military coup in the country. In early July, the head of state publicly appealed to the clergy, demanding that Garegin II be removed from office. The prime minister accused him and the Armenian clergy of working for Russia.