Lawyer: Sealing the Lavra buildings is illegal

Acting Director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve Maxym Ostapenko. Photo: spzh.news

All actions of the Ministry of Culture to evict monks from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and seal the premises of the monastery contain signs of a criminal offense and are illegal. The lawyer of the Lavra, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, wrote about this in his Telegram channel.

According to him, the monastery has never prevented or restricted the access of representatives of the Reserve in exercising control over the use of property. At the same time, the lawyer called the intentions of the Ministry of Culture to seal the buildings of the Lavra illegal.

He noted that the courts are considering cases on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, which is why the Reserve does not have the legal authority to seal the premises of the Lavra or restrict access to them.

“Thus, now any statements by the representatives of the Reserve that they have legal grounds to seal the buildings are at least unfounded,” wrote Fr. Nikita.

The lawyer also urged the police officers not to contribute to the illegal actions of the Reserve and not to become accomplices in the crime.

“Under the circumstances set forth, the eviction of the monks, the groundless sealing and restriction of access to the premises contain signs of a criminal offense – arbitrariness,” he added.

As the UOJ reported, the commission of the Ministry of Culture left the Lavra failing to seal any of the monastery's buildings.

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