SBI opens a criminal case against DESS leadership
DESS head Viktor Yelensky. Photo: suspilne.media
On 19 December 2023, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) initiated criminal proceedings against the head of the State Ethnopolitics Service Viktor Yelensky and his deputy Viktor Voinalovych for inciting inter-religious discord and inappropriate response to the petition demanding not to ban the UOC’s operation, reports the Telegram channel "Dialog.Tut".
On 30 December 2023, the Editorial Board received a corresponding letter from the SBI with an excerpt from the Unified Register of pre-trial investigations.
"We close this year by saying that now we accuse the authorities of improper performance of their duties. Two courts – Administrative and Pechersk district courts – agreed with us. The Administrative Court opened proceedings against the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and the Pechersky District Court obliged the SBI to open a case against DESS," the journalists wrote.
Earlier, the journalist of "Dialog.Tut" Yulia Kominko said that the response of DESS to the petition demanding not to ban the UOC contained a gross violation of the statutory procedure for responding to an electronic petition and "is a manifestation of disregard for 25,000 citizens of Ukraine".
As reported, the court ordered the SBI to open a case against the leaders of the State Ethnopolitics Service.
Read also
Bulgarian Church to help Odessa Eparchy build a temple complex
Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria blessed the trip of pilgrims from the UOC to Bulgaria so that they could tell the believers of his Church about the unique construction in Artsyz.
In Myrnohrad, UOC temple once again shelled
The interior decoration of the church has been damaged, the Royal Doors are affected, and there is destruction in the church grounds.
Israeli Catholics protest against authorities' attitude to Pope's death
Israeli Christians have called the delayed condolences and the government's unwillingness to send high-ranking officials to Pope Francis's funeral a grave insult.
On April 28, another hearing in Upper Lavra case to take place in Kyiv
Believers are asked for prayer support.
In vlg. Dovha Balka, UOC temple damaged by shelling
The roof is partially destroyed, and the walls and windows of the church are damaged.
Bulgarian expert: Ukraine – a testing ground for global Church persecution
Journalist Andrey Romanov believes that what is happening in Ukraine is a rehearsal for larger-scale persecutions of Christians that may spread throughout the world.