The pretrial detention of Gevorg Nersisyan, brother of the Catholicos of All Armenians, and his nephew Hambardzum Nersisyan has been replaced with house arrest, according to their lawyer Ara Zohrabyan.

Zohrabyan wrote on Facebook that the Armavir Region Court of First Instance revoked the detention measure imposed on Gevorg and Hambardzum Nersisyan and applied alternative measures, including house arrest, a bail of 1 million drams and a ban on leaving.

“I would like to remind that an obviously unfounded and unlawful criminal prosecution is being carried out against Gevorg and Hambardzum Nersisyan,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction for Criminal Cases has rejected a motion to extend the house arrest imposed on Naira Alaverdyan, chief accountant of the Aragatsotn Diocese. The information was announced by lawyer Armine Fayan.

“Today, the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction for Criminal Cases, presided over by Judge M. Shahverdyan, ruled to reject investigator Nazeli Sargsyan’s motion seeking an extension of the house arrest term for Naira Alaverdyan, chief accountant of the Aragatsotn Diocese.

The court recorded that there are no grounds to keep Naira Alaverdyan under house arrest; therefore, the preventive measure of house arrest is subject to revocation.

Naira Alaverdyan is represented by attorneys Marine Farmanyan and Vahagn Keshishyan,” the statement said.

Gevorg Nersisyan and his son Hambardzum Nersisyan were detained on November 2. They are accused of hooliganism and obstructing election campaigning.