UOJ journalist in court: Why am I in prison, not UN HCHR?

UOJ journalists in the courtroom. Photo: UOJ

On August 5, 2024, UOJ journalist Valeriy Stupnitsky, who is currently being held in Lukyanivka Prison, explained to the judge why the accusations of treason against journalists have no logical basis.

Valeriy Stupnitsky drew the court's attention to the fact that, according to the prosecution, UOJ's publications reporting on violent conflicts around UOC churches allegedly posed a threat to Ukraine's national security and aided the aggressor.

"But I cannot understand why this threat and assistance are created by journalists who only report on the conflicts, and not by the people who initiate these conflicts?" Stupnitsky asked.

He emphasized that "the logic is completely different concerning non-religious journalism," reminding that "central Ukrainian media regularly publish news about corrupt officials who steal huge sums from the state and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Russian media are happy to spread this information from their Ukrainian counterparts."

However, Stupnitsky continued, "Ukrainian journalists are not accused of treason and harming Ukraine's national security because of this. And it is not they who end up behind bars, but the corrupt officials who committed the crimes. Why is the logic completely different for the UOJ?"

He reminded the court that dozens, if not hundreds, of criminal cases have been opened concerning the illegal re-registration of UOC parishes and violent conflicts around churches. Very respected organizations and people worldwide, besides UOJ, also speak about the pressure on the UOC and religious conflicts.

For example, several reports by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for 2023 and 2024 state that violent actions against UOC communities are a violation of human rights.

"The reports provide dozens of examples of violent conflicts surrounding the forced transfers of UOC churches to the OCU, including those mentioned in my criminal case, such as the events in Ivano-Frankivsk. And the question arises why am I being accused of working against Ukraine's national security, while the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is not?" Stupnitsky asked.

He also reminded the court that the candidate for Vice President from Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, recently criticized Bill 8371, and statements about the persecution of the UOC were made by U.S. presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Vice Chair of the U.S. Democratic Party's governing body Tulsi Gabbard, Chair of the U.S. National Republican Federation of Youth Catherine Whiteford, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Senator Rand Paul.

Stupnitsky asked the court, "Why are these respected people not accused of threatening Ukraine's national security and aiding Russia, while we, UOJ journalists, have been behind bars for five months with the prospect of life imprisonment?"

Previously, the UOJ reported that Priest Serhiy Chertylin would be released from the detention center on bail.

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