Court postpones the case of believers’ non-admission to Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

Lawyers of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and UOC believers in front of the Kyiv Pechersk Court. Photo: a video screenshot of Archpriest Nikita Chekman’s TG channel

On 24 January 2024, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv considered the lawsuit of a UOC parishioner against the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" regarding the non-admission of believers to the territory of the monastery, reports the Lavra’s lawyer Archpriest Nikita Chekman on his Telegram channel.

According to him, the court rescheduled the hearing for April 7, 2024.

The lawyer also said that during the meeting the representative of the Reserve behaved extremely inadequate and insulted the UOC believer who filed the lawsuit.

"He began to insult the plaintiff, called her almost a victim who filed a lawsuit. This is extremely unethical, and such actions violate the rules of lawyer ethics on the part of the lawyer, it is unacceptable," he said.

Archpriest Nikita Chekman also said that the court granted the plaintiff's party's motion and provided additional time to prepare a response to the Reserve's statement of defence.

"The Reserve sent a statement of defence only on 16 January 2024. This was done with a clear violation of the deadline after the opening of the proceedings," he added.

As reported, the court postponed the hearings on the unlawful deprivation of Lavra monks' right to use the Assumption and Refectory Churches.

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