The Appeals Criminal Court has left businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan’s two‑month detention measure unchanged, according to the Judicial Department, reports Sputnik Armenia.

Karapetyan’s lawyer, Armen Feroyan, argued that the detention decision violated his client’s rights.

“Only effective domestic remedies must be exhausted before appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, and in this case domestic measures were entirely ineffective,” he said.

He added that preparations for an urgent application to the European Court are nearly complete.

Karapetyan’s detention had been appealed on June 19. On June 23, his brother Charles Karapetyan withdrew the appeal because it was assigned to lower‑ranked Judge Armen Danielyan. Later it emerged that arrangements were made so only Danielyan would review the appeal.

He had been detained on June 18 for two months and transferred to Armavir Detention Facility for making a public call to seize government powers.

Just hours before detention, Karapetyan released a statement supporting the Armenian Apostolic Church: “I stand with our Church and our people… Everything will be fine, the people will speak as one, and they will realize they were wrong.”

Prime Minister Pashinyan responded: “Why are these wicked ‘clergy’ and their wicked ‘philanthropists’ active again? No worried, we’ll silence them again. For good.” He later added that the ENA should be nationalized quickly.