Armenia: Defense Questions Legality Of Archbishop Bagrat Wiretapping

The defense of Archbishop Bagrat in the Sacred Struggle case has requested the court to clarify the legal basis on which wiretapping of the cleric and other individuals was conducted.

The motion was submitted by defense lawyer Hovhannes Khudoyan during a hearing at the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction, presided over by Judge Karen Farkhoyan, Pastinfo reports.

Khudoyan argued that if law enforcement authorities lacked legal grounds to initiate proceedings and carry out surveillance, then all subsequent actions would also be unlawful.

“We are raising a very simple question: was the initiation of the case lawful? It is unclear to me why the public prosecutor insists that evidence should first be examined and only afterward the issue of legal grounds addressed. Naturally, if the prosecution fails to present the relevant data to the court, then in the absence of such information, the entire trial becomes meaningless and no evidence can be properly examined.

The working time of the court, the prosecutor, and the defense, as well as the right to a trial within a reasonable time, directly depend on whether this case can proceed at all. And the position on that issue is clear — whether sufficient grounds existed or not. From a legal standpoint, the prosecution’s approach is unclear; from the perspective of political persecution, it is entirely understandable,” Khudoyan said.

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan was detained overnight between June 25 and 26, 2025. Armenia’s Investigative Committee stated that participants and leaders of the Sacred Struggle movement had planned terrorist acts and actions aimed at seizing power. His detention has since been repeatedly extended.