Armenia's Criminal Court of Appeal has overturned the first-instance court's ruling in the case of Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan and returned the case to the Shirak Court of First Instance for a new hearing.

Under the ruling, the house arrest imposed on Ajapahyan has been lifted, while the travel restriction prohibiting him from leaving remains in force, Panorama.am reported.

"The Court of Appeal found that, in this case, the court of first instance was not a court properly established by law. For that reason, the judgment has been overturned," the judge said.

The defense had asked the appellate court to overturn in full the judgment issued by first-instance Judge Armine Meliksetyan and adopt a new ruling declaring Ajapahyan not guilty.

Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, head of the Shirak Diocese, was arrested on June 28, 2025, and his detention was later extended. Public criminal prosecution was initiated against him under Article 422(2) of Armenia's Criminal Code on charges of making public calls to seize power, violate the country's territorial integrity, renounce sovereignty, or violently overthrow the constitutional order.

The first-instance court found Ajapahyan guilty under Article 422(2) and, in its October 3, 2025 judgment, sentenced him to two years' imprisonment. On February 6, 2026, the court replaced his detention with house arrest as a preventive measure.