Court closes the case against Rivne Eparchy secretary for “inciting hatred”
Secretary of the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC, Archpriest Viktor Zemlianyi. Photo: rivne.church
On October 5, 2023, the court in Rivne closed the case of the Secretary of the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC, Archpriest Viktor Zemlianyi, who was accused of "stoking interreligious strife" due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. The corresponding decision was published on the Registry of Court Decisions website.
The UOC clergyman was relieved of criminal liability as eight years had passed since the actions he was accused of.
According to reports from Suspilne, the regional prosecutor's office has already filed an appeal against the decision of the Rivne court.
According to the charges, from June to November 2015, Protodeacon Viktor Zemlianyi distributed brochures that "insulted the religious feelings of the UOC-KP (Kyiv Patriarchate) and UAOC (Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church) believers and contributed to inciting feelings of alienation and distrust among UOC believers and supporters of UOC-KP and UAOC."
Additionally, the investigation alleges that Father Viktor supposedly "offended the beliefs of UOC-KP believers" during the filming of the movies "Persecution" and "Ukraine: 'Mazepa' Operation."
As previously reported by the UOJ, Archpriest Viktor Zemlianyi explained why the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) initiated a criminal case against him.
Read also
DESS congratulates Ukrainians on Passover
DESS has published an address in which it compared the biblical Exodus with the modern path of the people toward freedom and peace.
Amsterdam: Zelensky attacks UOC because he doesn't tolerate idependent thought
An international human rights defender stated that the Kyiv authorities are pursuing the goal of turning religion into a government department.
In Jerusalem, Jewish believers banned from visiting Western Wall during Passover
Israeli police announced restrictions for Jewish holidays.
OCU: Filaret did not want UOC-KP to exist after his death
The OCU insists that Filaret wanted the Kyiv Patriarchate to cease to exist after his death.
UOC primate blesses vehicles for evacuating the wounded from the front
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry performed the rite of blessing for nine vehicles purchased with donations from faithful in Ukraine and the Czech Republic.
Lawyer warns of planned seizure of UOC Ascension Church in Kyiv
The head of the religious community of the Holy Ascension Church in Demiivka has been unlawfully replaced, according to a lawyer.