RF releases priest Kurmoyarov convicted for spreading fakes about the army
Archpriest Ioann Kurmoyarov in the court room. Photo: SOTAvision
Priest Ioann Kurmoyarov, who was convicted for spreading false information about the Russian army, has been released in Russia, reports Meduza.
He served a three-year sentence for filming a video blog criticizing the authorities' actions in Ukraine. In court, he admitted his guilt for spreading false information and apologized to everyone "who might have been offended by his publications".
The prosecution requested a seven-year sentence for Kurmoyarov. According to SOTAvision, the theologian is accused of publishing videos on his YouTube channel "Virtual Orthodox Parish" where he discussed the actions of Russian military in Ukraine from a Christian perspective.
In particular, in the video "Who Will Be in Hell and Who in Heaven?" the priest claimed that from the Gospel's point of view, "those who initiated aggression will not be in heaven, no matter how hard they try".
As reported by the UOJ, Fr Ioann Kurmoyarov is a former cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He had previously been persecuted in Ukraine for "anti-Ukrainian activities," which led him to move to Russia in 2019. On 26 December 2021, Hieromonk Ioann (Kurmoyarov) was accepted into the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) in his current rank and was allowed to perform sacred rites.
Read also
ROCOR Priest Reflects on Trip to Capitol Hill
Archpriest Victor Boldewskul participated in the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco's Day of Action to raise awareness about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Hundreds of Chinese Christians Arrested in Pre-Christmas Crackdown
Hundreds of Chinese Christians face spending Christmas in detention after authorities launched a sweeping pre-holiday crackdown on churches under Beijing’s campaign to control religious life.
Ukraine Adviser: UOC Not Banned, but Offered a 'Choice' of Jurisdictions
A Ukrainian presidential adviser said the UOC is not banned but pressured to choose between joining the OCU, submitting to Constantinople, or remaining unregistered, while dismissing international concerns as propaganda.
Indiana Reports 98% Drop in Abortions Under Stricter Law
Indiana’s latest health report shows a 98% drop in reported abortions under stricter laws, though dozens still occurred under legal exceptions and concerns persist about unreported pill abortions.
Armenian Apostolic Church Pushes Back on Political Encroachment
The Armenian Apostolic Church plans to appeal to international bodies to resist government interference and defend its clergy and sacred relics.
Attempted Takeover at Armenian Etchmiadzin Cathedral Thwarted by Faithful
Supporters of Armenian PM Pashinyan attempted to storm Etchmiadzin Cathedral amid calls for the Catholicos’s resignation but were blocked by parishioners and security.