MOSCOW 

A senior Armenian clergyman wanted by authorities on charges of attempted coup said on Friday that he will meet law enforcement officers voluntarily.

The head of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), Archbishop Mikhael Ajapahyan, will appear before the Investigative Committee of Armenia, director of the Department of External Relations and Protocol of the Armenian Church told reporters in the capital Yerevan.

"Despite not being properly notified about the need to appear before investigative bodies, Mikhael Ajapahyan has decided to go to Yerevan and present himself to the Investigative Committee. The Holy Etchmiadzin calls upon the people not to succumb to provocations and to continue supporting the Church through all legal means," said Nathan Ovannisyan.

The official said law enforcement officers entered the territory of Holy Etchmiadzin, the administrative headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church, on Friday morning, attempting to detain Ajapahyan, who came there to attend a meeting of the spiritual council.

Agents of the National Security Service had arrived at the residence of Catholicos of All Armenians Garigin II, two days after authorities claimed to have thwarted an alleged coup plot to overthrow the government. They wanted to inquire Ajapakhyan on coup allegations.

The raid provoked outrage among citizens, and a large crowd gathered outside the residence, attempting first to prevent agents from arresting the cleric, and then not letting him present himself before the Investigative Committee.

Earlier, criminal proceedings were initiated against Ajapakhyan on charges of public calls for the usurpation of power, violation of territorial integrity, renunciation of sovereignty, or violent overthrow of constitutional order. The maximum penalty for this offense is a five-year imprisonment.

Church leader Garigin II has called for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation since Armenia lost a war to Azerbaijan in 2020.

Last year, mass protests led by Bagrat Galstanyan, an archbishop and leader of the opposition movement Holy Struggle, had also called on Pashinyan to resign over the country’s defeat against Azerbaijan. He was detained on Wednesday along with many others.