A prominent Armenian cleric has been sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of calling for the overthrow of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government.
Archbishop Mikael Ajapahian, Primate of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, was sentenced by the Yerevan City First Instance Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction. The prosecution had requested a sentence of two years and six months.
The court had delivered its verdict on 24 September, finding Ajapahian guilty under Section 2 of Article 422 of the Armenian Criminal Code, which covers making public calls to seize power, violating territorial integrity, renouncing sovereignty, or forcibly overthrowing Armenia’s constitutional order. The preventive measure of detention was maintained, along with its associated restrictions.
Ajapahian, who was arrested in June, is accused of making public calls to seize power in Armenia during multiple media interviews. His detention sparked clashes between security forces and crowds at the church headquarters, with videos showing confrontations between clergymen and police. He later appeared at Armenia’s Investigative Committee before being placed in pretrial detention.
The archbishop’s arrest followed that of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the opposition Sacred Struggle movement, who was accused of plotting sabotage against the government. Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan was also detained on similar charges, which he denied.
Pakistan has issued a nationwide warning as the first spell of monsoon rain coincides with rapid glacier melt in the country's north, raising the risk...
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Ho...
Eight Buddhist monks were killed and more than 20 others injured after an 11-year-old boy driving his parents' pickup truck ploughed into a religious ...
Passengers travelling through Tashkent International Airport can now receive customs guidance from an AI-powered robot, as Uzbekistan continues to exp...
At least five people were killed and 16 injured after a bomb exploded at a busy café in central Damascus on Thursday, according to Syrian state media...
Pakistan has issued a nationwide warning as the first spell of monsoon rain coincides with rapid glacier melt in the country's north, raising the risk of flash floods, glacial lake outburst floods, landslides and urban flooding.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Eight Buddhist monks were killed and more than 20 others injured after an 11-year-old boy driving his parents' pickup truck ploughed into a religious procession in north-eastern Thailand, police said.
Passengers travelling through Tashkent International Airport can now receive customs guidance from an AI-powered robot, as Uzbekistan continues to expand the digitalisation of its border services.
A Russian couple climbed to the top of the Empire State Building and unfurled a banner urging world peace before, in an apparent elaborate marriage proposal that ended with their arrests.
Iranian and U.S. negotiating teams were due in Doha this week, but Iran said on Monday no meeting had been scheduled as weekend missile fire from both sides tested the interim ceasefire to end the four-month-old war.
Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran mediated by Qatar in Doha have concluded, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi has said.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mexico ended their 40-year wait for a World Cup knockout win, while Erling Haaland sent Norway through and Kylian Mbappé fired France into the last 16.
Russia is facing widening fuel shortages across multiple regions after sustained Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries and fuel depots disrupted domestic oil processing and distribution networks, according to reports from affected areas and official statements.
In La Guaira, Venezuela's worst-hit coastal state, makeshift command centres have been established inside schools as volunteers coordinate shelter operations for thousands of people displaced by last week's twin earthquakes.
Authorities in Beijing have identified the pilot killed in last week's plane crash into the city's tallest building as a 66-year-old man surnamed Liu, as officials sought to address growing speculation over the rare incident.
Alphabet's Google has lost its final appeal against a multibillion-euro European Union antitrust penalty over its Android mobile operating system, handing regulators a major victory in efforts to curb the power of Big Tech.
Hundreds of firefighters are battling multiple wildfires across France, amid strong winds and dry conditions, as the country’s heatwave persists.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment