SBU presents suspicion to UOC priest of Ovruch Eparchy

SBU officers in front of the temple. Photo: kievvlast.com.ua

On September 2, 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine presented suspicion to a priest of the Ovruch-Korosten eparchy of the UOC, the agency’s telegram channel reports.

The security service said that, together with the National Police, it managed to collect “an evidence base for the rector of the church of the Ovruch-Korosten Eparchy of the UOC, who incited religious hatred.”

According to the investigation, the cleric allegedly "massively distributed pro-Kremlin leaflets and brochures among the priests and parishioners of the religious community of the Zhytomyr region."

According to the press service of the SBU, "the ‘texts’ of printed matter offended the religious feelings of Ukrainians, humiliated the views of believers of other faiths, and formed hostile moods towards them."

The security service also reported that the cleric was distributing literature “at the direction of the metropolitan, to whom the SBU had already reported suspicions of crimes against Ukraine.”

Employees of the Security Service found “campaign materials” in the spring of 2022, and in June 2023 during searches on the territory of the local diocese of the UOC.

According to the SBU, "examinations confirmed that the seized products contain provocative statements about priests, believers, and supporters of other faiths."

In addition, according to the state agency, "the content of some of the leaflets popularized the Kremlin's ‘view’ on the history of Ukrainian statehood."

Based on this, the rector of the temple was informed of the suspicion under part 2 of Art. 28 and part 2 of Art. 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (deliberate actions aimed at inciting ethnic and religious hatred, humiliation of national honor, dignity and feelings of citizens based on their religious beliefs, committed by an official and by prior agreement by a group of persons).

An investigation is currently underway to establish all the circumstances of the “crime” and bring the “guilty” to justice.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the SBU handed suspicion to Metropolitan Vissarion of Ovruch.

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