Lawyers of Metropolitan Arseniy denied the judge’s recusal

Metropolitan Arseniy participates in the court session via video link. Photo: Sviatohirsk Lavra

On October 4, a preliminary court session was supposed to take place in the Sloviansk city district court of Donetsk region regarding the case of the abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra, Metropolitan Arseniy (Yakovenko), during which the court intended to consider the prosecutor's request to extend the pre-trial detention of the bishop. According to the monastery's press service, the session was postponed due to the defense attorneys’ motion for the judge's recusal.

It is noted that the defense, doubting the impartiality of the presiding judge, Tetiana Khaustova, requested her recusal so that the case could be considered by another judge.

Until the motion for recusal was reviewed, no sessions in the case could proceed.

The recusal request of Judge T. Khaustova was reviewed by another judge on the morning of October 7. The request was not granted.

The next session regarding Metropolitan Arseniy's case will take place on Tuesday, October 8, in the same Sloviansk city district court. During this session, the court will consider the prosecutor's request to extend the bishop's detention.

The session is set to begin at 1:00 PM.

“Brothers and sisters, we ask for your prayers for the imprisoned Metropolitan Arseniy and the brethren of the Sviatohirsk Lavra,” the statement reads.

As reported by UOJ, Metropolitan Arseniy was allowed to participate in the court via video link.

The bishop was arrested on April 24, 2024, and, according to a decision by the Zhovtnevyi court of Dnipro, he has been held in Dnipro's detention center since April 25. On August 15, despite the defense’s motions for a change in the measure of restraint to bail or a release under surety, the Sloviansk city district court decided to extend the bishop’s detention until October 13.

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