Rabbi thanks SBU for arresting Ukrainian over antisemitic threats

Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Azman. Photo: Azman’s Facebook page

The Chief Rabbi of Ukraine thanked the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Police for swiftly detaining a Kyiv resident who had spread antisemitic messages and personally threatened him with physical violence. Moshe Azman wrote about the case on his Facebook page.

“I sincerely thank the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police of Ukraine – all the law enforcement officers who detained a man who had for a long time publicly spread antisemitic messages, threatened violence against Jews and, in particular, threatened to kill me personally,” the religious leader wrote.

According to the rabbi, such expressions of hatred should not be taken lightly.

“Such things cannot be dismissed as merely ‘words on the internet.’ It is extremely dangerous to ignore hatred and calls to kill Jews and burn synagogues because the line between words and actions can be very thin.”

He added that during wartime, the state’s response to such threats is particularly important and that those responsible should not be allowed to incite hatred for years with impunity.

“The law exists precisely so that people cannot commit evil, because words often turn into blood on one’s hands!” the rabbi concluded.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that law enforcement officers served a notice of suspicion to a 44-year-old Kyiv resident for his threatening to kill the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, as well as insulting and threatening military personnel and law enforcement officers. The suspect’s actions were classified under Part 2 of Article 129 – making a death threat motivated by religious intolerance – and Part 1 of Article 161 – violation of citizens’ equality – of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The charges carry a sentence of up to five years in prison.

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