The Rivne Court of Appeal denied the OCU community in a lawsuit concerning the church of the Sarnensk diocese of the UOC in the village of Malinsk, Rivne region, and opened a criminal case against it. This was reported by the UOJ.

The consideration of the complaint on the elimination of obstacles to the use of the Peter and Paul Church, which was filed by the OCU activists, was held on November 23. It is noteworthy that the lawsuit was filed not against the religious community of the UOC or the parish priest, but against the individual Vladimir Gnes.

Raisa Prikhodko, a human rights activist from the Sarnensk diocese, said that the case was heard by a panel of judges.

By a unanimous decision, the OCU community was denied the claim.

She also said that the OCU community resorted to forging documents on the basis of which her claim was based. After the facts presented to the court, a criminal case of falsification was opened against the OCU community in the village of Malinsk, and the believers of the UOC were recognized as victims.