Court session on the Upper Lavra case postponed amid protests and provocations

The Northern Economic Court of Appeal in Kyiv postponed the hearing of the case on the right to use the temples of the Upper Lavra. The hearing, which took place on 18 February, was postponed at the request of the defense of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, whose lawyer was engaged in another criminal case. Faithful members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) gathered outside the courthouse for prayer support, and there was an incident with an unidentified woman shouting insults.

According to the Telegram channel “Fortress Lavra”, on February 18, the Northern Economic Court of Appeal in Kiev held a hearing of the case on the right to use the temples of the Upper Lavra on February 18. The session was attended by lawyers of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and representatives of the National Reserve. The Kyiv Metropolitan Church filed a petition to postpone the hearing of the case, explaining it by the busyness of the lawyer, who on the same day is involved in another criminal trial.

The court granted the defense’s request and postponed the hearing for five days – until February 24 at 14:00. The plaintiff’s side objected to the proposed date, pointing to the employment in the highest court, but these arguments were not taken into account by the judges.

The UOC faithful gathered outside the courthouse to prayerfully support the brethren of the monastery and the lawyers. During the session there was a provocation: according to eyewitnesses, an unknown woman, who came together with the lawyer of the Ministry of Culture, shouted insults at the monks and held a poster with derogatory inscriptions. Lawyers of the Lavra appealed to the police-security officers in the courthouse, demanding to establish the identity of the provocateur and give a legal assessment of her actions.

We will remind, earlier we reported that the Employees of the “reserve” changed the locks on the doors of the temples in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, blocking access to the monks of the UOC.