Czech police release Metropolitan Hilarion (also known as Grigory Alfeyev) of the Russian Orthodox Church after detaining him over the weekend on suspicion of drug possession. Officers stop him on Sunday in Karlovy Vary, a town in western Czechia, after finding containers of a white substance in the boot of his car. Police later decide to release the bishop without filing charges, according to reports.
Moscow and church representatives have condemned the arrest, saying the detention was politically motivated and part of a “setup.” They characterize the evidence and circumstances as inconsistent with any legitimate drug possession case.
The Czech authorities do not report, in the accounts summarized here, any formal charges or trial outcome at the time of his release. The case remains centered on the discovery of a white substance in his vehicle and the dispute over whether the arrest reflects lawful policing or political retaliation, as asserted by Russia.
