Court extends detention of Sviatohirsk Lavra abbot until February 2025

Metropolitan Arseniy. Photo: Sviatohirsk Lavra

On December 5, the 19th anniversary of the episcopal consecration of Metropolitan Arseniy, Abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra, the Sloviansk City and District Court of Donetsk Region held a hearing to decide on extending or modifying his preventive measure, reports the monastery's Telegram channel.

The prosecution insisted on extending the pre-trial detention. Metropolitan Arseniy’s defense presented the court with 11 statements from Members of Parliament of Ukraine who personally vouched for the bishop’s compliance with procedural requirements. Among those present at the court was MP Viktoriya Hryb. Additionally, a letter of guarantee was submitted from religious organizations in the Dnipropetrovsk region, offering a location for house arrest.

The defense also petitioned for the release of the metropolitan on bail. However, the court sided with the prosecution, extending the detention until February 2, 2025, disregarding the arguments of the defense and the guarantors.

The court also did not address the defense's motion, submitted back in October 2024, to broadcast the hearings on YouTube, which could have enhanced the transparency of the process.

The defense team is already preparing appeals against the court's decision. The next hearing is scheduled for December 10, 2024.

As the UOJ previously reported, Metropolitan Arseniy gave an interview to a British media outlet about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

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