In Ternopil region, a local resident is tried for criticizing the use of national symbols in churches

Investigators of the Main Department of the National Police in Ternopil Region have prosecuted a 63-year-old resident of the Kremenets district for “inciting religious hatred.” The man is accused of criticizing the use of national symbols in churches on social media. He faces up to three years in prison. This was reported by the regional publication “Za Zbruchem”.

During the pre-trial investigation, it became known that “the defendant spoke negatively about the reforms taking place in the religious sphere, actively criticized the placement of the trident in churches and on icons, repeatedly humiliated official state symbols and incited enmity and hatred between believers of different faiths.”

Police investigators found out what, when and how the suspect distributed the material and, having collected enough “evidence,” sent the criminal proceedings to court. The resident of the Kremenets district may face up to three years in prison for his actions. Procedural guidance was provided by the Ternopil Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

As reported, on May 30, 2025, the first court hearing in the criminal case against a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the village of Melnykivka was held in the Smelyansky court of the Cherkasy region. According to the investigation, the clergyman allegedly justified Russian aggression in Ukraine in private correspondence via messengers.