In Bila Tserkva, man was nearly stabbed to death for saying "Christ is Risen". PHOTOS
A high-profile attack motivated by religious intolerance has taken place in the Kyiv region, which nearly ended in murder.
According to Censor.NET, this is stated in an official report from the Kyiv region police.
The incident took place on the night of 13 April in Bila Tserkva. According to the investigation, a 35-year-old man entered a local establishment and greeted those present with the traditional Easter greeting "Christ is Risen!". One of the patrons, a 19-year-old man, reacted aggressively due to his religious beliefs.
A verbal argument broke out between the men, which quickly escalated into a physical altercation. The attacker phoned his 23-year-old acquaintance and asked for help.
Knife attack following the altercation
According to law enforcement, the accomplice arrived at the scene with a knife. Both attackers caught up with the victim on the street, knocked him to the ground and struck him.
"The younger of the attackers inflicted two stab wounds on the victim — to the neck and stomach," the police statement said.
The attackers then fled, believing the man had suffered fatal injuries. However, thanks to the prompt assistance of medics, the victim’s life was saved.
Arrest of suspects and charges
Law enforcement officers located the suspects and arrested them in the Lviv region. Investigators informed both of them that they were suspected of attempted murder, committed by a group of individuals acting in prior conspiracy and motivated by religious intolerance.
The court imposed a preventive measure on the suspects in the form of detention without the option of bail. They face up to 15 years’ imprisonment for their actions.
It is also noted that law enforcement agencies are continuing to investigate all the circumstances of the incident.
- We previously reported that the Court of Appeal had sentenced a man to life imprisonment for beating an eight-month-old baby to death in the Kirovohrad region.
