UOJ journalist in court: Protecting UOC cannot be considered treason

Valery Stupnitsky in court. Photo: UOJ

Journalist from the Union of Orthodox Journalists Valeriy Stupnitsky, speaking at a session in the Solomiansky District Court, which was deciding on his preventive measure, in order to prove his innocence under Part 2 of Article 111 (state treason), quoted the head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk.

"In the practical guide on criminal law assessment and abuse entitled 'Criminal Collaboration in Conditions of Armed Aggression' authored by the head of the SBU, Vasyl Maliuk asserts that, I quote: 'a mandatory condition for qualifying a person's actions as state treason is engaging in hostile activities in favor of the state, jointly with representatives of that state with whom the person enters into a criminal conspiracy,'" Stupnitsky said.

The UOJ journalist told the court that, according to the head of the SBU, only official representatives of foreign states – diplomats, law enforcement officers, military personnel, representatives of special services, intelligence, etc. – can be considered such representatives.

"I deny that my journalistic activities in defense of the UOC can be considered hostile, and I firmly declare that I have never had any acquaintances, contacts, let alone conspiracy, with representatives of the aggressor country," he emphasized.

As reported by the UOJ, journalist Valeriy Stupnitsky was left in pre-trial detention for another two months.

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