Court closed criminal proceedings against the head of Sumy diocese of the UOC

On May 10, 2024, the Zarechny City Court of Sumy closed the criminal proceedings initiated by the Security Service of Ukraine against Metropolitan Yevlogy (Hutchenko) of Sumy and Akhtyr of Sumy, the administrator of the Sumy diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The bishop was accused of violating the equal rights of citizens because of their religious beliefs. About it reports «Suspilne.Sumy».

It is reported that for almost two months, the prosecution failed to provide significant evidence that could be the subject of the court. In this regard, the «victims» asked to send the case for additional investigation to the prosecutor’s office, while Metropolitan Yevlogy’s lawyer pointed out that the prosecution exceeded the terms of pre-trial investigation, thus trying to delay the case.

As a result, the Sumy City Court made a decision: «After studying the case materials, the court decided: to reject the victim’s petition for reclassification, and the defense’s petition to close the criminal proceedings — to satisfy. The ruling can still be appealed in the court of appeal».

We will remind, earlier we reported that on May 8, 2024 Kyiv Solomensky court did not satisfy the request of the lawyers of the employees of the «Union of Orthodox journalists» to change the measure of restraint. Volodymyr Bobechko, Andriy Ovcharenko and Valeriy Stupnytskyy remain in the pre-trial detention center for another two months without the right to post bail.