Russian-backed church leader cannot leave village in Kyiv Oblast or take off electronic tag

The Security Service of Ukraine has maintained that the release of Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebid), Abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), from custody does not pose a threat: changing the pre-trial restraint measure does not give him freedom of movement and will not affect the fair trial of the case.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine

Quote: "Recently, bail for UAH 33.3 million [about US$1.2 million] was paid for Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebid) of the UOC-MP, and he was released from custody as provided for by the previous decision of the Solomianskyi District Court of Kyiv.

Given individual requests from the media, the Security Service of Ukraine states that this type of pre-trial restraint measure will not affect the fair consideration of Metropolitan Pavlo's case in court."

Details: The Security Service of Ukraine emphasised that the release from custody of the former abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra due to the posting of bail "does not mean he is exempt from criminal responsibility".

House arrest is solely a type of pre-trial restraint measure, since the articles of the Criminal Procedure Code against Metropolitan Pavlo do not provide for any alternative detention.

The Security Service of Ukraine reminds that the court imposed a number of obligations on Metropolitan Pavlo:

• To wear an electronic tag;
• To not leave the village of Voronkiv, Boryspil district in Kyiv Oblast, without notifying the investigator (except for urgent cases related to danger to life and health);
• to appear before the investigator, prosecutor and investigating judge in these criminal proceedings at first request;
• to refrain from communicating with victims and witnesses.

Currently, the investigation in the criminal proceedings against Pavlo (Petro Lebid) has been completed, and his lawyers are familiarising themselves with the case materials.

After that, the charges will be sent to the court.

Earlier, Security Service of Ukraine investigators served the metropolitan with a notice of suspicion under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Art. 161.2 (violation of citizens' equality based on their religious preferences); Art. 436-2.3 (justification, recognition as legitimate, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine).

The Security Service of Ukraine emphasises that 65 criminal proceedings are being investigated against clergymen, including against bishops of the UOC-MP, since the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

So far, the court has handed down 15 guilty verdicts.

The Ukrainian citizenship of 19 clergymen of the UOC-MP who have Russian passports has also been revoked.

In addition, more than 250 clerics of the Russian Orthodox Church, including three clergymen of the UOC-MP, whose Ukrainian citizenship has been revoked, have been banned from entering Ukraine.

Background:

• On 1 April, Pavlo was served with a notice of suspicion for violation of citizens' equality based on their religious preferences, and justification, recognition as legitimate, or denial of the Russian Federation’s armed aggression against Ukraine, or glorification of its participants.
• The Security Service of Ukraine said it had gathered substantiated evidence from Pavlo’s phone conversations and sermons that he was involved in inciting religious hatred and justifying and denying Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.
• In the courtroom, Lebid stated that he was "against aggression", but did not mention Russia as the perpetrator.
• On 1 April, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court in Kyiv placed Metropolitan Pavlo under round-the-clock house arrest until 30 May, but on 14 July the Solomiansky District Court changed the pre-trial measure of restraint to being remanded in custody with the possibility of bail of more than UAH 33 million [approximately US$894,000].
• On 7 August, Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebid) was released on bail of UAH 33 million [about US$894,000 – ed.] from the pre-trial detention centre.

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