Lawyer: By setting condition to join OCU the authorities extort Lavra monks

Archpriest Nikita Chekman, a lawyer at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: a video screenshot from the “1Kozak” YouTube channel.

Statements by representatives of the authorities that the monks of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra can remain in the monastery on condition of their transfer to the OCU are blackmail, the monastery's lawyer, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, said in a commentary to “1Kozak”.

"Today we hear appeals by representatives of state authorities, in which conditions are put forward under which the monks can remain in the Kyiv Caves Lavra," Father Nikita said. “What are the conditions? Change your confession, then you can stay there. Such conditions are blackmail. Blackmail and terror of clergymen and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The lawyer stressed that "a statement on this issue has already been made at the United Nations that, unfortunately, discrimination against the UOC is taking place in Ukraine.

As reported, archpriest Nikita Chekman has filed a lawsuit with the Economic Court of Kyiv to prevent the National Reserve from unilaterally terminating the lease with the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The lawyer also filed an application to the court to secure the claim – this should help to avoid the illegal eviction of the monks from the territory of the Lavra.

Earlier, Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko has repeatedly said that the monks might stay at the Lavra if they join the OCU.

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