On May 10, 2023, a search took place at the clergyman of the Shepetivka diocese, Archpriest Mykola Khlan, who is charged with Art. 161 (part 1) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (incitement of religious hatred) for negative statements “regarding the transition of churches from the UOC-MP to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, as well as criticism of the activities of the leadership of the OCU.” This is reported by the Information and Education Department of the UOC with reference to the legal department of the UOC.

The court ruling states that during the investigation a witness was interrogated, who said that “Mykola Anatolyevich Khlan repeatedly speaks negatively about the transition of churches from the UOC-MP to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, as well as criticizing the activities of the leadership of the OCU.”

The legal department notes that Archpriest Mykola Khlan is the rector of the St. John the Theologian religious community of the UOC in the village of Przemyshel, Slavuta district, Khmelnytsky region. This parish was illegally re-registered with the OCU. On this fact, a number of applications have been filed with the police and a lawsuit is being prepared to appeal the illegal re-registration.

“We see a one-sided and biased attitude towards the clergy of the UOC on the part of law enforcement agencies, when criticizing the OCU and seizing churches, and personal attitude towards the OCU are subjected to criminal prosecution. And obvious public and hostile calls against the UOC, inciting religious hatred, are not We have such a selective application of the law,” commented the situation in the legal department of the UOC.