Lavra files a complaint with the GBI against hate-mongering MPs

Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: Deacon Gavriil Zavhorodnii

On February 6, representatives of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra filed several reports to the State Bureau of Investigations (GBR) regarding criminal offenses committed by MPs Inna Sovsun, Oleksandra Ustinova, and Yaroslav Yurchyshyn. This was reported in a Telegram channel by the Lavra's lawyer, Archpriest Nikita Chekman.

The text specifies that on January 24, Inna Sovsun stated that "the United States is very interested in the issue of persecution of the UOC, and it is necessary to inform Americans that the UOC is not a Church, but a part of the law enforcement system of the Russian Federation." On June 29, 2023, Inna Sovsun said on the "Espreso TV" channel that the Church should be banned. According to her, it is necessary to explain to Europe that the UOC is "not a religious organization, but a branch of the KGB thriving here, in Ukraine, then everything becomes clear to everyone."

On January 10, 2024, MP Oleksandra Ustinova said in an interview with "Glavkom" that in the West, "it is necessary to explain that it is not about the church, but about the FSB": So, on the one hand, we definitely need to adopt this bill, on the other hand, to explain on the international stage that this is not about the church at all."

On November 9, 2023, MP Yaroslav Yurchyshyn published an article in "Ukrainska Pravda" titled "Not a Church, but the FSB in Cassocks", where he claimed that the former head of the UOC Metropolitan Volodymyr was a Russian and that "the ROC in Ukraine is not about faith": "Contrary to some activists who consider the ban on the UOC as an attack on religious rights or freedom of conscience, I will respond unequivocally: this is the elimination of the Russian agent network. Their involvement in the 'Russian world' has been exposed by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) more than once, so it is enough to play with them."

The Lavra believes that such statements by MPs contain "signs of committing a criminal offense provided for in part 2 of article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely deliberate actions aimed at inciting religious hatred and enmity, insulting the feelings of citizens in connection with their religious beliefs, committed by an official."

"Thus, MPs Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Inna Sovsun, and Oleksandra Ustinova express their commitment to the religious association of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, support the decision to change the subordination of religious communities from the UOC to the OCU. Contrary to the promotion of mutual religious and ideological tolerance and respect between citizens professing religion or not professing it, between believers of different denominations and their religious organizations, Mr. Yurchyshyn, Ms. Sovsun, and Ms. Ustinova, in the form of defamation and bullying, humiliate the honor and dignity of citizens based on their religious beliefs, incite religious hatred and enmity, comparing the Church with law enforcement agencies and special services of a hostile state," the statement said.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that, according to American lawyer Robert Amsterdam, the repression against the UOC resembles the times of the USSR.

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