Khabarovsk priest arrested and banned from ministry for participating in a rally in support of Navalny

The court arrested Khabarovsk priest Andrei Vinarsky for participating in a rally in support of Navalny for 25 days. The ruling bishop then banned the priest from serving.

On May 13, 2021, it became known that the court found the priest of the Birobidzhan diocese Andrei Vinarsky guilty under Part 8 of Art. 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (repeated violation of the established procedure for holding a rally) and sentenced him to administrative arrest for 25 days. The reason for this was participation in the rally in support of Navalny on April 21.

Previously, the priest had already been arrested for participating in a similar action, after which the ruling bishop removed him from his post as rector of two parishes. Now Archbishop of Birobidzhan and Kuldur Ephraim (Prosyanok) banned him from serving until he repented.

Before this, the police twice refused to initiate a case against Vinarsky under Art. 212 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (mass riots).

Sources

• The ninth trial of Andrei Vinarsky ended in Khabarovsk. The priest was arrested for 25 days // OVD-Info. 2021. May 13.