Rivne region resident convicted for claiming OCU seizes churches
A Rivne region resident convicted over Facebook posts.
The court found the resident of Rivne region guilty of distributing publications that, in the court's opinion, contained signs of inciting religious hatred and degrading OCU believers.
According to the verdict of the Volodymyrets District Court, the resident of the Rivne region posted content on Facebook in which he condemned the actions of Metropolitan Epifaniy, head of the OCU, used offensive language toward supporters of the organization, and spoke about the exclusivity of the UOC.
One such post, published on December 14, 2024, was titled: “The SBU and GPU confirmed that the UOC Is not the ‘Moscow Church’.” According to the case materials, it contained “demeaning statements regarding the religious beliefs of OCU supporters.”
In April 2025, the same individual published another post reading: “If the OCU is the true historical Church of Ukraine, then why is it seizing churches and monasteries?”
The court found that this post also contained critical and offensive remarks, along with “promotion of UOC exclusivity” and “incitement of hatred between UOC and OCU believers”.
He was charged under Part 1 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — violation of citizens' equality based on their religious beliefs.
Judge Liudmyla Kotyk found the resident guilty and imposed a fine of 3,400 hryvnias.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that during the seizure of a cathedral in Chernivtsi, OCU activists beat a UOC deacon and brutally assaulted a UOC priest.
Read also
German McDonald's removes food from adverts until sunset over Ramadan
In Germany, during the Muslim fast, a fast-food chain hides food images in advertising during the day and shows them only in the evening.
Metropolitan Longin after hearings: Sessions conducted under the rule of law
After the Hertsa Сourt session, the bishop thanked the faithful for their support and called for forgiveness, prayer, and faithfulness to Christ.
Christian series "The Chosen" sets world record for being most widely-translated
The streaming series The Chosen , which explores the life of Jesus and his disciples, has broken its own Guinness World Record for being the most widely-translated series of all time.
US Secretary of Defense to the Army: God extends His arms over you
Pete Hegseth stated that American military personnel are "no longer defenders" but warriors "trained to destroy the enemy."
MP demands answers from Rivne authorities over UOC charity event
Bobrovska expressed outrage that city officials allowed the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC to hold a charity festival that raised money for children with cancer.
In U.S., Archbishop of Albania leads Divine Liturgy on Triumph of Orthodoxy
The Primate of the Albanian Church served in Massachusetts and called for visible unity among Orthodox jurisdictions.