A Yerevan court has ordered the two-month detention of Archbishop Mikayel Ajapakhyan, head of the Shirak diocese, as reported by TASS citing the clergyman's attorney Ara Zohrabyan.
Zohrabyan stated the ruling lacks legal basis and will be challenged.
This development follows Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's June 25 announcement that security forces had prevented an attempted coup. Authorities allege Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and his followers were plotting terrorist acts to overthrow the government, leading to Galstanyan's arrest along with several others.
Earlier, special forces arrived at the residence of the Armenian Apostolic Church leader to detain Ajapakhyan, sparking confrontations between police and congregants. The archbishop later agreed to surrender voluntarily and was taken into custody that evening.
The tensions coincide with deteriorating relations between Pashinyan's government and the Armenian Apostolic Church, occurring ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections.