Cherkasy Court Accuses the OCU of Interfering in the Trial of a UOC Priest

The Sosnivskyi District Court of Cherkasy has expressed concern over interference by the Cherkasy administration of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) in the judicial proceedings against a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). On June 5, 2025, the court received information that local OCU authorities had filed a complaint with the High Council of Justice regarding the actions of Judge Oleksandra Homeniuk, who is presiding over a criminal case against a cleric of the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC, accused of violating several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The court reported this on its official Facebook page.

According to the court, the actions of the OCU — including calls for citizens to file complaints with the High Council of Justice — constitute an attempt to interfere with the judiciary and exert pressure on the administration of justice. The court is particularly concerned because the case is in its final stage of consideration.

In response, the presiding judge has prepared an official appeal to the High Council of Justice regarding the interference of a religious organization in the judicial process.

Earlier, it was reported that Yurii Trenkin, Secretary of the Cherkasy City Council, became head of the “parish council” of the St. Andrew’s Church in Cherkasy, which was recently seized from the UOC’s Cherkasy Diocese. The official announced that from now on, “only Ukrainian prayer” would be conducted in the church.