Court in Cherkasy does not allow UOC Metropolitan Theodosius to travel abroad to speak at the UN

The Sosnovskyy district court in the city of Cherkasy has denied the head of the Cherkasy diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Theodosiy, permission to travel abroad. The metropolitan, who is accused by the state in four criminal proceedings, intended to attend a session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva to speak out about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

According to Suspilne, at the court session held on October 3, the metropolitan’s defense applied for permission to travel abroad. According to the defense lawyer, his client was invited and accredited to participate in a session of the UN Council. The bishop himself, who participated in the session via video link, confirmed that he had been invited to speak.

The prosecution opposed the granting of the motion. Prosecutor Vadym Kolomiets expressed doubt that the invited organization is related to the UN, and noted that Metropolitan Theodosius could participate in the meeting via videoconference. He also referred to the martial law in effect in Ukraine, the travel ban for men of conscription age and the «gravity of the crimes» of which the bishop is accused.

After hearing the parties, Judge Oleksandra Humenyuk denied the travel application. The defense’s petition to return the defendant’s foreign passport, deposited with the migration service, was not considered at the hearing. Thus, Metropolitan Theodosius does not have the necessary documents to cross the border. The next court hearing on his case is scheduled for October 9.

We shall remind you that earlier we reported that Metropolitan Feodosiy (Snigirev) of Cherkassy and Kanev received an official invitation to Geneva to testify at the UN as a witness in cases of human rights violations in Ukraine. He will have to provide personal explanations to the UN Special Rapporteurs as well as to the Independent International Commission of Inquiry into violations against believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.