Robert Amsterdam says pressure on Metropolitan Arseniy has intensified after UN reaction

The international lawyer of the UOC, Robert Amsterdam, has published an urgent appeal in connection with the illegal detention of Metropolitan Arseniy of Sviatogorsk. The human rights activist claims that after UN experts recognized the bishop’s persecution as unlawful, the Ukrainian authorities brought new charges against him in order to prolong his detention, which has already lasted for more than 17 months.

In his video message, Amsterdam called on the international community to respond to the situation. In his opinion, because of the weakness of the original charges, the authorities have resorted to fabricating new cases. These actions, the lawyer claims, are solely aimed at further keeping the hierarch in prison.

According to the source, the respected hierarch of the UOC, who devoted 30 years of his life to the development of the Sviatogorsk Lavra and care for people, has been in pre-trial detention for more than 17 months. It is noted that prolonged detention not only undermines the state of his health, but also poses a direct threat to his life.

The human rights activist also recalled that the UN expert opinion calls the persecution of the ruler illegal and calls to stop the lawlessness. In response to this, as stated in the publication, the Ukrainian authorities «intensified terror».

We will remind, earlier we reported that the vicar of the Sviatogorsk Lavra, Metropolitan Arseniy was detained again by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on October 28, immediately after his release from custody on bail. The hierarch, who has serious health problems, is currently in a temporary detention center.