SBU exposes Metropolitan Pavel new suspicion: details
SBU notified Metropolitan Pavel of a new suspicion (Photo: Getty Images)
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has found new evidence of illegal activities by Metropolitan Pavel (Petro Lebid), a representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. The SBU press service reports that he may now be placed under arrest.
One day before the SBU announced the first suspicion against Metropolitan Pavel, he gave a video interview to one of the Ukrainian media platforms. In this interview, he denied the existence of Ukraine as a sovereign state.
Furthermore, he referred to the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine as a "civil conflict" ongoing since 2014.
A linguistic examination initiated by the SBU confirmed the cleric's criminal actions.
Based on the collected evidence, SBU investigators have informed Metropolitan Pavel of new suspicions under two articles of the Criminal Code:
- Part 2 of Article 161 (violation of equality of citizens based on their religious beliefs committed repeatedly by an official)
- Part 3 of Article 436-2 (justification, recognition as lawful, or denial of armed aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine committed repeatedly by an official)
The issue of choosing a preventive measure in detention is being resolved. Investigative actions are ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crimes.
The sanctions under these articles provide up to 8 years of imprisonment with property confiscation.
What preceded this
Metropolitan Pavel has repeatedly insulted the religious feelings of Ukrainians in his public speeches. In particular, he demeaned the beliefs of followers of other confessions and sought to foster hostile attitudes toward them.
Petro Lebid even made statements that justified or denied Russian aggression.
On April 1, Metropolitan Pavel was served a notice of suspicion. On the same day, the court placed him under house arrest for 60 days. At the end of May, the preventive measure was extended for another month.
What preceded this
Metropolitan Pavel has repeatedly insulted the religious feelings of Ukrainians in his public speeches. In particular, he demeaned the beliefs of followers of other confessions and sought to foster hostile attitudes toward them.
Petro Lebid even made statements that justified or denied Russian aggression.
On April 1, Metropolitan Pavel was served a notice of suspicion. On the same day, the court placed him under house arrest for 60 days. At the end of May, the preventive measure was extended for another month.
