Expert: If Bishop Arseniy agrees to an exchange, it'll harm the entire UOC

Metropolitan Arseniy in court. Photo: Sviatohirsk Lavra

In an interview with blogger Oleksandr Shelest, Ukrainian political scientist Kostiantyn Bondarenko commented on the trial and criminal proceedings against Metropolitan Arseniy of Sviatohirsk.

According to Bondarenko, the authorities are offering the arrested hierarch a “plea deal” in exchange for admitting guilt. In that case, he may be promised a suspended sentence and the possibility of being sent abroad through a prisoner exchange. “They’ll tell him: we’ll put you in the exchange pool, trade one of you for 30–40 of our soldiers, and thus ‘resolve your case.’ In reality, this is racketeering – a person is ‘taken’ not for a crime, but to replenish the exchange fund,” the expert explained. Bondarenko believes that any hypothetical agreement with investigators would serve as grounds for new accusations against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

He emphasized that after such an admission of guilt, the authorities would use it to discredit the entire UOC, claiming that “Metropolitan Arseniy confessed, he is guilty and convicted.” According to Bondarenko, Metropolitan Arseniy understands that while a plea deal might save him personally, it would become another act of condemnation against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. “He has neither renounced his faith nor his Church, and he has refused to become a pawn in the exchange process,” the political analyst concluded.

Bondarenko added that the example of the Sviatohirsk metropolitan is not unique – in most cases, the authorities use the same simple scheme against UOC clergy.

“They come to a priest, arrest him, detain him. Then the investigator says: ‘If you confess, we’ll give you a suspended sentence and let you go home. If not – you’ll get ten years,’” the political analyst described as the typical method of pressure on the clergy.

“The way Metropolitan Arseniy conducts himself in court inspires respect. It is his moral victory over those who are persecuting him,” Bondarenko stressed.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that he had been offered to agree to an exchange.

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