Human rights activists: Working to bring the Church’s enemies to justice

The Legal Defence Centre of the UOC. Photo: Nikita Chekman

As of 1 March 2024, 11 criminal proceedings have been opened against politicians, officials and right-wing radicals, the Telegram channel "Myriany" (“Laity”) reports the results of the work of the Legal Defence Centre of the UOC for two months.

The lawyers continue to protect the honour and dignity of UOC believers.

The Centre is working to prosecute for incitement to hatred: the so-called "Lavra abbot" of the OCU Avraamiy Lotysh, the General Director of the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery", four deputies of the Verkhovna Rada, the head of "European Solidarity" in the Kyiv City Council, one of the leaders of an ultra-right group for threats and calls to violence, as well as employees of the National Police who restricted access of believers to the Lavra.

Cases are also being prepared against officials of the Kyiv Regional State Administration who illegally registered the "conversions" of UOC communities to the OCU.

As reported, on 14 February 2024, lawyers of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra filed a police report against the "bishop" of the OCU Avraamiy Lotysh who incited interfaith hatred in one of his statements.

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