In Simferopol, a case was opened against a priest for participation in an extremist organization

On December 23, it became known that in Simferopol, the day before, law enforcement agencies had searched the house of a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate (UOC-KP), Father Sergiy, who had previously taken part in the work of the People’s Movement of Ukraine organization. A criminal case was opened against the priest for participation in the activities of an extremist organization (under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code). Father Sergiy himself currently lives on the mainland of Ukraine.

During the search, law enforcement officers seized four notebooks with personal records of Father Sergiy, his identity card as a member of the People's Movement of Ukraine party, a military ID, and a medical card.

It also became known that the priest's mother was stopped on the street today and taken to the police department for interrogation.

According to the SOVA Information and Analytical Center , if the persecution of a priest under article 282.2 of the Criminal Code is connected only with his membership in Narodny Rukh, then it is illegal, “since this party is not among the organizations liquidated or banned in Russia for extremist activities ".