Appeals Court keeps Metropolitan Arseniy behind bars until March 30

Metropolitan Arseniy's trial. Photo: Sviatohirsk Lavra's website

On March 3, 2025, the Dnipro Court of Appeals held a session concluding the review of the appeals filed by the lawyers of Metropolitan Arseniy of Sviatohirsk against the ruling of the Sloviansk City District Court from January 30, as reported by the Sviatohirsk Lavra website. That ruling extended the bishop’s detention in Dnipro's pre-trial detention center (SIZO) for another two months, until March 30.

The hierarch’s lawyers petitioned the appeals court to change his preventive measure from detention to release on bail, personal surety by Ukrainian MPs, house arrest, or other alternatives.

The appeals court rejected the requests from both the defense and Ukrainian MPs for the bishop’s release, upholding the lower court's decision.

Ukrainian MPs Viktoria Hryb and Volodymyr Moroz also participated in the court session, expressing their readiness to take Metropolitan Arseniy into their personal surety. The press service of Sviatohirsk Lavra reported that "about ten more deputies from various political factions have also expressed their willingness to vouch for Bishop Arseniy."

The next hearings of the Sloviansk City District Court in Metropolitan Arseniy’s case are scheduled to take place via videoconference on March 11, 2025, and March 13, 2025.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that heating in Metropolitan Arseniy’s cell had been turned off. It was later restored.

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