UOJ inquires MIA in the wake of «Statement of Separatist Actions» of UOC clergy

UOJ made an information inquiry to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine regarding criminal proceedings, initiated in view of the “Statement as per the separatist and anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and actions of particular clergymen of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church” dated 31.01.2017.

In its inquiry the UOJ requests «to give an answer about the available or absent criminal proceedings, commenced in the wake of events (remarks), which are pointed to in the statement of the Ministry of Culture of 31.01.2017».

On 31.01.2017 the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine promoted a statement that contains some evidence on actions and rhetoric of the UOC clergy: Metropolitan of Simferopol and Crimea Lazar, Metropolitan of Lugansk and Alchevsk Mitrofan, Metropolitan Platon and priest Alexander Yakushechkin.

The above clergymen were accused of carrying out religious actions of a worship character upon an order of the RF military and persons who form a part of the «LNR», as well as utterances bearing an anti-Ukrainain character, in the Ministry's opinion.