Court declines to place Metropolitan Theodosiy under 24-hour house arrest
The next court hearing is scheduled for January 17.
On November 20, a hearing took place in the Sosnivsky District Court of Cherkasy regarding the case of Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv. According to the vycherpno website, during the hearing, the indictment for a fourth charge was read, and the UOC hierarch was questioned.
The metropolitan attended the session online.
The prosecutor filed a motion to change the pretrial restriction for the metropolitan to 24-hour house arrest for 60 days. However, the court denied this motion.
Currently, Metropolitan Theodosiy faces five charges. For one of the criminal cases, he has been placed under nighttime house arrest from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM with an electronic monitoring bracelet.
In the present case, the Cherkasy Regional Prosecutor's Office accuses the metropolitan of creating a video in the winter of 2024. Allegedly, the video expressed intolerance toward believers of other religious organizations and insulted citizens based on their religious beliefs.
According to the “victim,” cleric Dmytro Kuzmych of the OCU, he filed a complaint with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) after viewing the video. “The metropolitan stated in the video that the Holy Presentation Church was unlawfully and raider-like seized. However, the church transitioned to the OCU due to the voluntary decision of the town's community. Nobody was forced to attend the meeting. His words undermine my dignity as a priest. I am not a raider,” Kuzmych claimed.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Theodosiy categorically denies the accusations:
“I am counting on an impartial review of the case. I do not consider myself guilty. The indictment is unfounded and demonstrates the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and me as a bishop by law enforcement. The indictment is based on the assumptions of the so-called victim. This case is fabricated.”
For the “emotional distress” caused to the “victim,” a fine of 150,000 UAH is being sought from the UOC hierarch, which Kuzmych reportedly plans to donate to a religious community.
The next court hearing on this matter is scheduled for January 17 at 10:00 AM.
As previously reported by the UOJ, Metropolitan Theodosiy had earlier called on his flock to pray for the return of the cathedral seized by the OCU.
