UOC attorney files police complaint over insults during radio broadcast

Archpriest Nikita Chekman. Photo: Priest's Telegram channel

Archpriest Nikita Chekman, an attorney for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, has filed complaints with the National Police and relevant authorities over public insults and incitement to religious hatred following a Kyiv FM broadcast that featured hate speech and insults targeting UOC faithful, children, and attorneys.

The human rights attorney documented statements by journalist Bohdan Butkevych that he said showed signs of serious violations of the Code of Ethics of Ukrainian Journalists, including publicly accusing individuals of crimes before a court ruling, blurring the distinction between facts and opinions, and discrimination on linguistic and religious grounds.

Discriminatory statements were also directed at human rights defenders. During the broadcast, activist Maryna Koval claimed that attorneys “are effectively defending traitors” and “hiding behind their law licenses,” before explicitly mentioning Chekman by name.

“This sequence of statements creates the unmistakable impression among the audience that an attorney providing legal assistance to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its representatives is allegedly himself involved in unlawful activities,” Nikita Chekman emphasized.

In response, Chekman filed a complaint with the National Police of Ukraine, requesting an investigation into whether the statements constitute a criminal offense under the provision concerning intentional incitement to religious and linguistic hatred. He also submitted formal complaints to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the Children’s Ombudsman, and the Commission on Journalistic Ethics.

The attorney also demanded public explanations and apologies from Kyiv FM’s editorial staff and the broadcast participants to UOC faithful, parents and their children, and the legal community.

As the UOJ previously reported, an attorney had raised concerns about threats against lawyers defending the UOC in court.

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