☦️Russia demands the immediate release of Orthodox cleric Metropolitan Pavlo, detained in Kyiv, alleging political arbitrariness and religious persecution. The Russian Orthodox Church seeks support from Pope Francis, the UN, and global leaders to address the ongoing persecution. pic.twitter.com/T4yaPgi4uI
— Frontline Politics (@FrontlinePol) July 16, 2023
A senior figure in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) was placed in pretrial detention. Cleric Metropolitan Pavlo is facing charges for voicing opinions deemed too pro-Russian.
A Kiev court ordered Pavlo to jail on Saturday. The cleric’s bail was nearly $900,000, and he could remain in pretrial detention for a month. The judge claimed Pavlo violated a court order by contacting a witness in his trial. Pavlo, who is also known as Petro Lebid, says he did not know the person he was a witness.
On April 1, Pavlo was placed under house arrest. Though initially only scheduled for a month, his house arrest has been extended several times. The charges against Pavlo include inciting hatred and justifying the Russian war in Ukraine.
On Saturday, Moscow demanded Kiev release Pavlo. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria said:
"We demand strict compliance by the Kiev regime with its international legal obligations, the immediate release of Metropolitan Pavlo, who is suffering from a serious illness, and the provision of proper medical care for him."
She added that the arrest was "yet another manifestation of political arbitrariness and lawlessness [by Kiev.]"
