Svyatogorsk, Donetsk Province, Ukraine, October 10, 2024
Photo: churchagainsthate.org
His Eminence Metropolitan Arseny of Svyatogorsk, the persecuted abbot of the Holy Dormition-Svyatogorsk Lavra in eastern Ukraine, has been sentenced to at least another two months in pre-trial detention.
The hierarch was initially detained in late April, just before Holy Week. He is accused of revealing Ukrainian army positions to Russian troops via a homily from September 2023 in which he mentioned a roadblock checkpoint that was preventing pilgrims from reaching the monastery. His initial detention was set for 60 days, but the court has continually extended it.
On Tuesday, October 8, another court hearing was held in the Metropolitan’s case, beginning with the prosecutor’s motion to extend His Eminence’s detention period, which the court granted. Meanwhile, defense motions from more than a month ago have yet to be considered, the Lavra reports.
It’s also noted that the judge ignored the absence of one of the defense attorneys, thus depriving the defense of the opportunity to fully express its legal positions on challenges and other issues.
Further, the court again refused to actually watch the video of Met. Arseny’s homily in which he supposedly committed treason.
In the end, the judge extended Met. Arseny’s pre-trial detention for another 2 months, while ignoring the statements of 11 Ukrainian People’s Deputies who asked the court to release the abbot on bail.
The defense team is currently preparing an appeal.
Met. Arseny may face up to 8 years in prison if found guilty.
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