“When the interrogations cause priests, and even accused of such production is not just a reproach, this is neglect,” the Bishop Pimen.
The clergy of the diocese of Rivne of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church came to the management of security service of Ukraine in Rivne region, to support the clergy, which caused 5 December 2018 for questioning. Reported Information-enlightenment Department of the UOC.
In particular, as reported in the Rivne diocese, investigators UAS in Rivne region interrogated 14 of the clergy of the diocese in the framework of criminal proceedings under article 111 of “treason” and article 161 of the “Violation of equality of citizens depending on their race, national origin, religious belief, disability and other grounds” of the Criminal code of Ukraine.
“We came to support their brethren. Because when called in for questioning priests, and even accused them of such production, it is not just a reproach, this is neglect,” said the vicar of the diocese of Rivne of the UOC Bishop Pimen Dubenskiy.
As told by the Lord, during the interrogations the investigators asked the clergy “on the distribution of some literature, inciting religious hatred.”
Bishop Pimen added: “the Interrogation has just begun, the priests had not even knew what kind of things they are charged with, and the TV channel “1+1” has already shown live, citing “your sources” in which matters Criminal code, interrogated priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and that “some clergy were spreading the Russian campaign literature” on the territory of Ukraine”.
The Archbishop emphasized that priests of the UOC “have served and will serve God and the People of Ukraine”. “The charges that impute our Church, and we are false and offensive. We all, bishops, and priests of Rivne region are Ukrainians, patriots of their country and nothing could divide, or harm to Ukraine did not do,” he concluded.
Now the interrogation continued.
The Chairman of the legal Department of the UOC Archpriest Oleksandr bakhov called simultaneous call for questioning of so many priests, “method of psychological pressure when you call the person and make him wait for hours”.
We will remind that on December 3 of this year also were searched in cathedrals, rooms, temples and houses of priests and Ovruch Zhytomyr diocese of the UOC.
And earlier, on 30 November, the SBU carried out searches in the territory of the farms of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The Abbot of the monastery is also called such action an attempt of political pressure on him.
Law enforcement officers are ignoring the obvious facts of incitement to religious hatred against the Church and seek out the signs where there are none. The head of the Legal Department Archpriest Oleksandr bakhov 3 December this year has commented on the searches in Zhytomyr diocese.