Lawyers for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Report Threats of Physical Violence

Archpriest Nikita Chekman, a lawyer for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), issued a statement regarding systematic provocations and direct threats of physical violence directed against those defending the interests of the UOC. The lawyers faced organized aggression from a group of individuals attempting to discredit the legal activities of the Church’s defenders.

According to information received by , the incident occurred during the most recent court hearing, where the provocateurs behaved extremely aggressively and attempted to inflict bodily harm on the defense attorneys. The perpetrators openly declared that they were preparing a “warm welcome” for the attorneys at the next hearing, which the affected party regarded as an attempt at intimidation and unlawful interference with their professional activities.

Archpriest Nikita Chekman emphasized that the attorneys act exclusively within the bounds of the law, fulfilling their professional duties regardless of their opponents’ attitude toward the client’s character or the legal position they have chosen. The attorney called any form of pressure—including unsubstantiated accusations against lawyers and physical aggression—unacceptable.

In response to the current situation, the UOC’s defense attorneys intend to appeal to law enforcement agencies as well as to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. In addition, the lawyers are preparing corresponding statements to international human rights organizations and are calling on bar associations to issue a principled assessment of these actions, emphasizing that such methods are absolutely unacceptable in a state governed by the rule of law.