The SBU completed the investigation and referred the case of UOC Metropolitan Pavel

The SBU completed the investigation and referred the case of UOC Metropolitan Pavel (MP) to the court

The Security Service completed the investigation and sent an indictment to the court against the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Pavel (Peter Lebid), who is involved in subversive activities against Ukraine.

According to the SBU, the metropolitan is charged under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
▪️ h. 2 Art. 161 (violation of the equality of citizens depending on their religious beliefs, committed by an official repeatedly);
▪️ h. 3 Art. 436-2 (justification, recognition as legitimate, denial of armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, committed repeatedly by an official).

Sanctions of the articles provide up to 8 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.

As the investigation established, the metropolitan repeatedly publicly denied the existence of Ukraine as a sovereign state.

He also called the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine a "civil conflict" that has been ongoing since 2014.

A forensic linguistic examination initiated by the SBU confirmed the facts of the cleric's criminal actions.

The investigation was conducted under the procedural leadership of the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.

We emphasize that in its activities, the SBU adheres to the principle of impartiality towards the activities of any religious denomination and respects the right of every citizen to freedom of worldview and religion, as defined by the Constitution of Ukraine.