Court accepts church lawsuits against defrocked priest

PanARMENIAN.Net - A court has accepted for proceedings two lawsuits filed by the Armenian Apostolic Church against defrocked former priest Aramayis Takhmazian.

Two claims submitted by the Armenian Apostolic Church against defrocked former priest Aramayis Takhmazian (formerly Father Tade) have been admitted for court proceedings, Panorama.am reported.

The first lawsuit was filed on February 10. The following day, it was assigned to Judge Zarouhi Mkrtchyan of the Aragatsotn Region Court of First Instance, and on February 18 the judge decided to accept it for proceedings.

The Church has asked the court to oblige Aramayis Takhmazian to return to the Church the Surb Astvatsatsin Church in the town of Talin, Aragatsotn Region, what belongs to the Church by right of ownership, including the church keys. In addition, it seeks to prohibit Takhmazian from entering the sanctuary, vestry, and nave sections of the Surb Astvatsatsin Church.

The claim also includes a demand to recover legal expenses in favor of the Armenian Apostolic Church, including the previously paid state duty.

On the same day, another lawsuit was filed against the former priest. The Church has requested that the court oblige Takhmazian and Hripsime Khachatryan to return Apartment 5 in Building 3 on Myasnikyan Street in Talin, Aragatsotn Region, which belongs to the Church, while simultaneously evicting the defendants from the apartment.

The Armenian Apostolic Church has also asked that legal costs, including the state duty already paid, be recovered from the defendants.

This claim was likewise assigned to the same judge, who decided to accept it for proceedings.

Meanwhile, Judge Sima Abovyan of the Armavir Region Court of General Jurisdiction has admitted for proceedings a lawsuit filed by defrocked Father Aram Asatryan against the Armenian Apostolic Church. Proceedings have also been launched in the lawsuit filed by Father Tade Takhmazian (Aramayis Takhmazian), a decision on which was issued by Judge Hovhannes Melkonyan.

The court has obliged the Church to ensure the official service of the defrocked priests.