Opposition MP applies to RA minister of justice over clergyman`s  right to freedom of conscience 

ArmInfo.  Non-partisan Armenian parliamentarian Taguhi Tovmasyan appealed to the Minister of Justice of the Republic, Srbuhi Galyan, regarding the violation of the right  of religious freedom of Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan, Primate of the  Shirak Diocese, who was previously sentenced to two years in prison  "for calling for the seizure of power in the country."

As Tovmasyan recalled on her Facebook page, the archbishop was denied  the opportunity to attend Sunday Mass and receive Holy Communion,  even in the hospital where he is temporarily staying due to his  health.

The MP noted that both the Armenian Constitution and the Convention  for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms obligate  the state not to restrict, but to ensure this right. "I demand that  Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhian's right to receive communion every  Sunday be immediately guaranteed, including in the hospital, and that  clear instructions be given to those responsible to prevent further  violations. The state's attitude, especially toward a sick person,  must be measured by actions, not statements," Tovmasyan concluded.

As a reminder, the archbishop's surgery was scheduled to take place  today at the Izmirlian Medical Center, but it was postponed due to  Ajapakhian's health condition. Garnik Danielyan, a member of  parliament from the opposition Armenia faction, had already signaled  the need for urgent surgery in early December.

The head of the Shirak Diocese was arrested on June 28 by a Yerevan  court on charges of calling for the "violent overthrow of the  government." This refers to a call made a year ago and deemed not to  constitute a crime by the National Security Service of Armenia. On  November 3, the court found Archbishop Ajapakhian guilty and  sentenced him to two years in prison. The prosecution appealed the  verdict, requesting a prison sentence of two years and six months.