Russian Priest Detained by Czech Police Over Discovery of White Substance

Russian Orthodox Bishop Hilarion Detained by Czech Police

A Russian cleric, Bishop Hilarion, has been detained by Czech police after four containers of a suspicious white substance were discovered in his car. The detention occurred on Sunday evening on a highway between Karlovy Vary and Prague.

According to a statement released on his Telegram channel, Bishop Hilarion’s defence team stated that he had no connection to the illegal trafficking of narcotic substances. The Czech police have confirmed that a man was detained, but have not disclosed the detainee’s identity or provided any further details about the incident.

The Czech Drug Enforcement Centre reported that it acted on an anonymous tip-off regarding the transport of narcotic and psychotropic substances. Bishop Hilarion’s defence team has requested independent forensic analysis of the substance, as well as fingerprint and DNA checks.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the incident as “an orchestrated provocation” aimed at discrediting Bishop Hilarion. She demanded his immediate release and stated that a strong protest would be lodged with the Czech diplomatic mission in Moscow.

Bishop Hilarion was once considered a key figure within the Russian Orthodox Church, but he fell out of favour with Moscow’s spiritual authorities after being sent abroad in 2022. He has since been assigned to the Czech Republic, where he heads the Russian Orthodox Church’s congregation.

Source: Al Jazeera