Court to consider extending detention for Metropolitan Arseniy on October 4

Illustrative Photo: Sviatohirsk Lavra

On Friday, October 4, the Slovyansk City District Court of Donetsk region will hold another preparatory hearing in the case of Metropolitan Arseniy (Yakovenko), the abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra. According to the monastery’s press service on their Telegram channel, the court will consider the prosecutor's request to extend the pre-trial detention of the UOC hierarch.

The hearing is scheduled to start at 1:00 PM.

"We ask for your prayers for Metropolitan Arseniy, who is in custody, and for the brethren of the Sviatohirsk Lavra," the message states.

As reported by the Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ), Metropolitan Arseniy was arrested on April 24, 2024. Since April 25, he has been held in the Dnipro pre-trial detention center, following a decision by the Zhovtnevyi District Court of Dnipro. On August 15, despite requests from his lawyers to replace the pre-trial detention with bail or personal surety, the Slovyansk City District Court decided to extend his detention until October 13.

After numerous petitions from his lawyers, the abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra was finally allowed to participate in court hearings via video link.

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