Amsterdam: Ukraine uses judiciary as an instrument of torture of UOC clergy
Metropolitan Longin (Zhar). Photo: x.com/robertamsterdam
On October 31, American lawyer Robert Amsterdam responded to the situation during a court hearing involving Metropolitan Longin of Bancheny. The human rights advocate wrote on his X account, condemning the Ukrainian authorities’ use of the judicial system as a tool for torturing and intimidating clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).
“We are informed that Metropolitan Longin, who has long suffered serious medical ailments, experienced a heart attack during one of his extended hearings related to his show trial. He was rushed to emergency care,” he informed his followers.
Robert Amsterdam emphasized his belief that the charges brought against Metropolitan Longin and other clergymen are false.
“We completely denounce these false charges brought against Longin and others, and denounce Ukraine's use of the judicial system as an instrument of torture and intimidation of the UOC clergy.,” the lawyer stated. “President Zelenskyy should hang his head in shame over the abuse and mistreatment of Orthodox Christians which has been enabled by Law 3894.”
As previously reported by the UOJ, the defender of the UOC hierarch noted that Metropolitan Longin’s health has significantly deteriorated during the court proceedings.
Read also
UOC believers in Rivne region hold procession to Derman monastery
About 500 pilgrims walked to the Holy Trinity Monastery in the Rivne region on the feast day of St. Hierotheus of Ostroh.
Pilgrims from UOC’s Khust Eparchy meet Patriarch Theophilos in Jerusalem
A group of UOC faithful from Zakarpattia visited the holy sites of the Holy Land and received the archpastoral blessing of the Primate of the Jerusalem Church.
UOC parishioners at Kyiv’s Demiivka church defend their rights in court
The rector of the Demiivka parish said documents relating to the church had been falsified and asked for prayers ahead of the second court hearing.
Prosecutor in Metropolitan Theodosiy case named in NABU tapes
A deputy head of the Cherkasy Regional Prosecutor’s Office who was involved in the case against Metropolitan Theodosiy has been named in an anti-corruption investigation.
Serbian Patriarch offers condolences over murder of Sviatohirsk Lavra monk
The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church called Sviatohirsk Lavra a refuge for the displaced and urged that the monk’s violent death not be turned into anyone’s weapon.