Court leaves Metropolitan Theodosiy under nighttime house arrest

Metropolitan Theodosiy in court. Photo: screenshot of video t.me/Cherkasy_Blagovestnyk

On May 29, in the Sosnivka District Court of Cherkasy, a hearing was held on changing the measure of restraint for Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv, according to Suspline.

Provocateurs with portraits of Patriarch Kirill awaited the bishop outside the court, once again staging a protest against Metropolitan Theodosiy. One of the defendant's lawyers, Volodymyr Yudin, could not enter the courtroom for 20 minutes as activists detained him. The judge started the hearing without the bishop's defender, and later the lawyer joined the proceedings. Yudin informed law enforcement about the activists' offensive behavior by writing a statement to the police.

The prosecutor requested the extension of the measure of restraint for Metropolitan Theodosiy in the form of nighttime house arrest. According to him, the risks continue to exist and even have increased.

Lawyer Tamara Hridenko requested to mitigate the measure of restraint for the bishop. According to her, he does not hide and has not given any reasons to think that he would, nor does he influence witnesses.

"There is an opportunity to seek political asylum in several countries, but I am interested in an objective consideration of the case. If I go abroad, curators will celebrate. I won't give them that pleasure. Don't worry, I won't go anywhere, I won't give them that reason to celebrate. I am in Ukraine and plan to live here until the end of my life," said the defendant.

According to Metropolitan Theodosiy, the current restrictions hinder him from participating in services since he is forced to go home to the Kyiv region every night.

The judge ruled to extend the nighttime house arrest for the metropolitan from 22:00 to 5:00 until July 27.

The witness who was supposed to be questioned at the court hearing did not appear.

As reported by the UOJ, on May 22, 2024, the Kyiv-Sviatoshyn District Court considered the third case against Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv for inciting religious enmity. In his address before the start of the hearing, the hierarch stated that he considers the next accusation against him – for quoting St. Luke Voyno-Yasenetsky – absurd.

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