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Pavel Lebed, abbot of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery and archbishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, appeared in a court hearing Saturday in Kiev, Ukraine, where he is accused of ties to Russia.Photo by Oleg Petrasyuk/EPA-EFE
April 1 (United Press International) — Ukrainian authorities said Saturday they were investigating the head of the country’s most important monastery for allegedly trying to justify a Russian invasion.
UkraineA security service called the SBU, searched the house Metropolitan Pavel Lebed, leader of the Orthodox Church, suspected of violating the country’s penal code and inciting interreligious hatred.
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Security officials said Pavel “repeatedly insulted the religious sensibilities of Ukrainians, insulted the views of adherents of other denominations and tried to create hostility towards them.”
They also said that Pavel had “issued statements either defending or denying the actions of the aggressor state”.
Kiev argues that Pavel’s branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church should be closed because of its previous ties to Russia.
bbc Report Pavel has denied the allegations and said on Saturday he had “never been on the side of aggression” and described his current state as “house arrest”.
The SBU said it brought 61 criminal charges against pro-Russian clergy last year and sanctioned 17 Ukrainian Orthodox Church officials.
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