Investigators reopen 2018 “marijuana case” in Etchmiadzin

PanARMENIAN.Net - The chairman of Armenia’s Investigative Committee has ordered a review of previously unsolved criminal cases. Among them, a 2018 incident involving marijuana distribution inside the reception area of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has now been revealed.

According to investigators, on July 20, 2018, a criminal case was opened under Article 266 (Part 1) of the Criminal Code. It concerned an unidentified person illegally providing marijuana to a person identified as H.A. within the Etchmiadzin chancellery. The investigation has since identified the individuals involved.

Specifically, S.Kh. is alleged to have conspired with a subordinate deacon, S.T., and another unidentified person to plant marijuana in H.A.’s backpack. On July 7, 2018, at S.Kh.'s direction, S.T. photographed the backpack and sent the image to S.Kh. via Viber. The group then placed marijuana inside the same backpack and reported the presence of suspicious items to police, who later discovered the drugs during a search.

On December 4, 2025, prosecutors approved the initiation of public criminal proceedings against S.Kh. under the 2003 Criminal Code’s Article 266 (Part 2, Points 1 and 4), equivalent to Article 393 in the current Criminal Code. That same day, S.Kh. was arrested and remanded into custody pending trial.

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities “working to clarify all circumstances of the incident and assess the roles of additional individuals.”

Archbishop Khachatryan, Chancellor of the Mother See, has been detained for two months by a court ruling issued by Judge Masis Melkonyan. He was arrested on December 4 at the National Security Service building. His lawyer, Arsen Babayan, stated there is no direct testimony against him.