MOSCOW. April 6 (Interfax) - The defense of Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra superior Metropolitan Pavel has appealed his house arrest, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, a lawyer for the metropolitan, said on Thursday.
The Shevchenkovsky District Court published its judicial disposition on Wednesday, placing Metropolitan Pavel under 60 days of house arrest, he said.
"As the court pronounced its judgment, it ignored such key principles of criminal proceeding as the adversarial system, reasonable terms, respect for human honor and dignity, the right to legal defense, and the presumption of innocence," Chekman said.
The lawyer described the ruling as unlawful and unfounded, and said that the defense had filed an appeal with the Kiev Court of Appeal. "Hopefully, the Appeal Court will listen to the defense's arguments and will make a fair decision," he said.
The Security Service of Ukraine searched the residence of Metropolitan Pavel on April 1 and charged him on two counts: fueling of interreligious enmity and justification of armed aggression. He was placed under round-the-clock house arrest, compelled to wear an ankle bracelet, and prohibited from visiting the Lavra.