Metropolitan Klyment of Simferopol and Crimea with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in a comment to Crimea.Realities said the latest moves by Russian invaders “blatantly lawless and immoral” after police raided and interrupted the service at a St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki Monastery in Crimea’s Bilohirsky district.
The monastery abbot was also summoned to a “court” hearing, Klyment told the outlet, adding that lawyers are already drafting a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
“What has happened last week is blatant lawlessness and blatant immorality,” said Klyment.
The metropolitan recalled that the security operatives with the anti-extremism unit came to the abbot and formally accused him of “illegal missionary work”
“First, the territory they raided is privately owned: it is a house divided into two parts: one part is where the priest lives and the other one is where he prays. In fact, they broke into a private household without any warrants […] The next day bailiffs called him from court, warning that the hearing would be held on the 17th. The priest, the monk will be judged for praying at home! What kind of madness is this? Lawyers are drawing certain claims about these facts to be filed with the European Court of Human Rights,” said the OCU hierarch.
It should be recalled that the occupiers had summoned Archimandrite Damian, the abbot of the Monastery of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in the village of Balky, Belogorsky district, temporarily occupied Crimea, to a court hearing on August 17.
Ukrainian Ombudswoman Liudmyla Denisova condemned the actions of Russian security forces who she stresses resort to religious persecution of the OCU’s Crimean diocese members. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Ministry of Reintegration is preparing a sanctions package against those persecuting the OCU in the occupied Crimea.
