Cherkasy cathedral defenders targeted for detention at court by TRC officers

Priest Roman Harkavenko. Photo: Dozor

On February 11, the first preparatory court hearing took place in Cherkasy in the case against St. Michael’s Cathedral defender, Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) priest Roman Harkavenko. According to the Dozor Telegram channel, Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) officers were waiting for the clergyman and his lawyer outside the courthouse.

Journalists report that the priest is being accused under a criminal article – hooliganism.

After the court session, Dozor writes, "the so-called victim in the case left the courthouse and immediately walked towards a TRC vehicle."

"He exchanged a few words with the TRC officers, who then got out of the car and purposefully approached Father Roman and the head of the Legal Department of the UOC’s Cherkasy Eparchy. The TRC officers already knew the names and surnames of the clergymen. Without presenting any documents, they claimed that the priests were supposedly 'wanted persons' and that they 'needed to go to the TRC to have their wanted status lifted,'" the Telegram channel describes.

However, the priest and his lawyer managed to return inside the courthouse, and after some time, the TRC representatives left.

It is noted that the clergy see this incident as yet another attempt to pressure and intimidate the defenders of the cathedral.

As previously reported by the UOJ, four criminal cases have been opened against UOC believers over the violence in Cherkasy.

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