Local resident tried in Zakarpattia for criticizing OCU on social media

The Khust District Court of the Transcarpathian region found Khust resident Ivan Mykulyak guilty of “inciting religious hatred and enmity” against the OCU. The reason for the trial was the defendant’s critical statements on social media about the OCU. The accused did not plead guilty, but the court sentenced him to a fine. This was reported by the Patriots of Ukraine publication.

The court materials state that «Ivan Mykulyak created a Facebook page and in August 2022 published a post in which he tried to discredit the OCU. In the publication, the accused called the OCU “atheists and opponents of the Orthodox faith”. Ivan Mikulyak was indignant that people were allegedly prevented from praying in the Pochayiv Lavra. In October of the same year, the accused complained that the OCU was “seizing property and churches of the UOC” and gathering a “satanic synod”. Ivan Mykulyak also did not like the fact that the UOC was associated with the Moscow Patriarchate.»

One of Mykulyak’s critical comments, which became an argument for the prosecution, was the following: «Why should we celebrate this or that holiday in a different way? Because that’s how the civilized world celebrates? Maybe it’s better not to rely on this world full of sin and depravity. The fact that the schismatic, aka the so-called Epiphany, has invented for himself does not mean, I repeat, does not mean that we should do the same! We are not traitors, we do not sell our faith for money and power, we do not rely on politics and the “civilized world”!»

As a result of the trial, Ivan Mykulyak pleaded not guilty. However, Judge Mykhailo Dovzhanin found Ivan Mykulyak guilty of inciting religious hatred (Part 1 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code) and fined him UAH 3400 thousand. The defendant also has to pay more than UAH 7 thousand for forensic examinations.

Earlier, we reported that the Avtozavodskyi District Court of Kremenchuk sentenced a local resident who posted critical comments about the OCU on social media. According to the court, the man, criticizing the OCU on social media, incited religious hatred.