Lawyers: Miroshnichenko's words about UOC entail up to 8 years in prison

Igor Miroshnichenko. Photo: news24ua.com

The calls of the politician of VO "Svoboda" and people's deputy of Ukraine of the VII convocation Igor Miroshnichenko to take away churches from the UOC and expel His Beatitude fall under Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and entail up to 8 years in prison.

Representatives of the human rights organization “Union of Orthodox Lawyers” (UOL), created to provide legal support to persecuted communities and priests of the UOC, stated this on April 16 on the UOL Telegram channel.

“Recently, a video appeared on the Facebook social network in which Igor Miroshnichenko urged his viewers to a scenario of tough interfaith confrontation between the believers of the OCU and the Moscow Patriarchate ... The UOL believes that such public appeals undoubtedly threaten social interfaith peace and are aimed at the deliberately sequential buildup of confrontation, increasing the degree of intransigence, which complicates the conciliatory dialogue of Orthodox believers of different legal subordination,” says the message on the UOL Telegram channel.

According to lawyers, Igor Miroshnichenko’s words fall under Articles 161 and 295 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, as well as under Article 173–1 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences.

“According to Article 161, Willful actions inciting national, racial or religious enmity and hatred are punishable by restraint of liberty for a term up to five years According to Article 295, Public calls to riotous damage, arson, destruction of property, taking control of buildings or constructions, forceful eviction of citizens are punishable by arrest for a term up to six months or restraint of liberty for a term up to three years. Article 173–1  of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences regulates liability for spreading false rumours that can cause panic among the population or disturbance of public order,” added the lawyers.

The UOL hopes that the statements of the people's deputy of Ukraine of the VII convocation Igor Miroshnichenko will be duly evaluated by the law enforcement agencies, therefore they are preparing the corresponding statements.

As the UOJ previously reported, the politician of the VO Svoboda called to seize temples from the UOC and expel His Beatitude.

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