Charges Dropped Against Antiwar Priest in St Petersburg

A St Petersburg court dismissed charges against Grigory Mikhnov-Vaitenko, an antiwar priest, due to the expiry of the statute of limitations. The priest faced charges after organizing a memorial for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Navalny's death has ignited protests, targeted both Mikhnov-Vaitenko and other sympathizers.

A court in St Petersburg has dismissed charges against antiwar priest Grigory Mikhnov-Vaitenko, who was initially arrested in February for attempting to organize a memorial event for the deceased Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The St Petersburg court system announced on its Telegram channel that the case was dropped because the statute of limitations had expired.

Mikhnov-Vaitenko, a bishop of the Apostolic Orthodox Church, was detained near his home on February 17, a day after Navalny's death in an Arctic penal colony. He faced charges related to organizing a mass rally in a public area, which could have resulted in up to 15 days of imprisonment or a fine.

Writing on Facebook, his wife, Natalia Sivohina, expressed gratitude towards his supporters and his lawyer, stating, "The prosecution has ten days to appeal. We are home." Mikhnov-Vaitenko is a vocal critic of Russia's involvement in Ukraine and was one of hundreds arrested while mourning Navalny, whose death shook the Russian opposition.

Thousands risked arrest at Navalny's funeral in Moscow in March, with attendees holding flowers and chanting, "We won't forgive." Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, and supporters accuse President Vladimir Putin of orchestrating his death, although the Kremlin firmly denies these allegations.

Previously, Mikhnov-Vaitenko served in the Russian Orthodox Church but was excommunicated for denouncing Russia's 2014 invasion of Ukraine. He subsequently joined the Apostolic Orthodox Church, a group started by other dissident priests critical of the ROC's close Kremlin ties.

Following his arrest, the St Petersburg Metropolitanate distanced itself from Mikhnov-Vaitenko, asking its followers to disregard his actions. In April, an Orthodox priest conducting a prayer service at Navalny's grave in Moscow was suspended and sentenced to three years of penance.

(Reporting and writing by Lucy Papachristou Editing by Bill Berkrot)