The Armenian Apostolic Church has challenged a decision banning its clergy from entering correctional facilities, seeking to have the measure declared invalid.

The Armenian Apostolic Church has filed a lawsuit against Armenia's Penitentiary Service under the Ministry of Justice, asking the court to invalidate the decision of the head of the Penitentiary Service that barred clergy providing spiritual care from entering prisons, Pastinfo reported.

The Administrative Court, presided over by Judge Argishti Ghazaryan, returned the claim, after which the Church's representative appealed the decision.

The Administrative Court of Appeal, chaired by Judge Hayk Khachatryan, upheld the appeal. In its filing, the Armenian Apostolic Church stated that it has long carried out a mission of maintaining permanent spiritual representatives in places of detention.

On November 25, 2014, Armenia's Ministry of Justice and the Armenian Apostolic Church signed an agreement under which prison chaplains and spiritual leaders in correctional institutions are appointed by the Catholicos of All Armenians.

After reviewing the relevant legislation, the Administrative Court of Appeal concluded that the Armenian Apostolic Church's right to maintain permanent spiritual representatives in places of detention derives from the law itself rather than from any contractual agreement.

On April 10, 2026, the head of the Penitentiary Service decided to revoke the permission allowing clergy providing spiritual care to enter correctional institutions, arguing that employment contracts had been concluded with individual priests.

Spiritual service in Armenia's correctional institutions began in 1993 at the initiative of then-Vicar of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese, the current Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. In 2003, the Department for Prison Service was established at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. On November 25, 2014, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Ministry of Justice signed an agreement defining the ministry's scope, structure, responsibilities and objectives.