Metropolitan Hilarion's defense claimed procedural violations and inadequate conditions of detention after his detention

Metropolitan Hilarion and the cameraman who accompanied him faced serious violations of procedural norms and the rights of the detainees. According to the defense, the investigative actions were carried out with numerous flaws, and the conditions of detention in the first hours after the detention did not meet the established standards.

According to Metropolitan Hilarion ‘s official Telegram channel, citing lawyer Michal Pacovský, the detainees were deprived of food for a long time. Food was provided only around midnight on the day of detention, and the next morning breakfast was received only after the intervention of the defense lawyer. At present, the Metropolitan and the cameraman are in solitary confinement in complete isolation: they are not allowed to use their personal belongings and are not allowed access to books, radio or television.

The lawyer pays special attention to the circumstances of the search of the car, which was the reason for the detention. According to the information provided, the search was conducted on the basis of an anonymous report, the content of which was not disclosed to the defense. At the same time, the search took place in a place not equipped with surveillance cameras and without the participation of independent witnesses. According to the defense, one of the police officers worked with the found containers without gloves, which casts doubt on the reliability of the traces on the packaging and the purity of the evidence.

The lawyer also noted the strange selectivity of the search: the police immediately focused on the trunk, practically ignoring the personal bags of the detainees. Metropolitan Hilarion categorically denies his involvement in the possession or transportation of prohibited substances. At the moment, the defense is seeking the seizure of CCTV footage of the car’s route and demanding a full verification of the legality of the seizure of evidence and the circumstances of the anonymous denunciation.