Lawyers announced significant violations by law enforcement officers in the case of Metropolitan Pavel

Archpriest Nikita Chekman, the lawyer for the Viceroy of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, spoke on his Telegram channel about numerous and significant violations by law enforcement agencies during the investigation against Metropolitan Pavel. This was reported by the Information and Educational Department of the UOC.

According to the lawyer, during the consideration of the case on the extension of Metropolitan Pavel’s house arrest on May 29, 2023, the defense side stated that there were numerous signs of criminal offenses committed by investigators, experts and prosecutors, namely: inciting religious hatred and hatred, insulting the feelings of citizens in connection with their religious beliefs, as well as direct restriction of the rights of citizens on the grounds of religious beliefs.

In particular, in the procedural documents (a report of suspicion, a petition for the election and extension of a measure of restraint, an expert opinion, etc.), the statements “Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate”, “i.e. n. “religious activity”, “Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine (ROCinU, Kyiv Metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church) under the omophorion of the Russian Orthodox Church”.

As Archpriest Nikita Chekman noted, all these statements are nothing but a way of negative coloring and inciting hostility towards the personality of Metropolitan Pavel as a clergyman of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as well as parishioners and the Church as a whole.

During the court session, the defense side petitioned for a judicial response in respect of these unlawful actions. The court announced that the specified petition of the defense side would be considered in the deliberation room, however, as it became known after receiving the court decision, this was not done.

In addition, the court did not take into account the medical documents, which explicitly stated that Metropolitan Pavel needed constant medical examinations due to serious chronic diseases.