Kazakhstan’s most prominent Orthodox priest was arrested in Almaty. Yakov Vorontsov was accused of drug use and organising a drug den a few days after he filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice for refusing to register an Orthodox parish that was not subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate.
The Administrative Court of Almaty has sentenced priest Yakov Vorontsov (Hieromonk Yakov) to 10 days of administrative detention following his arrest on the night of February 13. He was found guilty of the non-medical use of narcotic and psychotropic substances under Article 440-1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, his lawyer Galym Nurpeisov told the outlet Vlast.
Vorontsov was particularly known for his public statements opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Among other initiatives, he called on Kazakhstan to withdraw from two Russia-led international organizations: the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
“I am convinced that the patriots of Kazakhstan are obliged to initiate such a petition – sanctions against a tyrant, aggressor and war criminal should be universal and large-scale. And one more thing: I believe that a mandatory point of the petition should be a clause banning public and religious organisations from having a centre of leadership in the Russian Federation,” he wrote, for example.
He also proposed the creation of an independent Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan, a move that would directly challenge the authority of Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church. According to the KazTAG news agency, his arrest occurred a few days after Father Vorontsov filed a lawsuit against the Almaty Justice Department and the Ministry of Justice, seeking to challenge the refusal to register a religious association.
However, this was not his first action against the Church’s authority: in February 2022, at the outset of the full-scale war, Father Yakov joined approximately 292 other Orthodox clergy members in signing an open letter calling for peace in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Patriarch Kirill had instructed all Russian Orthodox priests to include prayers for victory in their church services.
In response to these actions, Vorontsov was suspended from conducting religious services in 2023 due to his “private statements” and “essentially political demands,” which were said to constitute a direct violation of his priestly oath. In August 2023, he was defrocked — permanently removed from clerical ministry — the most severe sanction imposed on a member of the clergy.
In 2024, by a complaint of a group of individuals close to the Russian Orthodox Church there was filed a criminal case against Vorontsov under the article ‘incitement of ethnic hatred’ for his criticism of the Moscow Patriarchate. However, after an police inspection, the case was dropped.
His arrest is part of a broader criminal investigation into the organization of drug consumption in a den: indeed, following his detention, the city police department reported that investigators were examining a criminal case related to the operation of a drug den for the consumption of narcotic substances, without specifying who was involved or to whom these statements were directed. According to the police, “a man born in 1986 has been detained on suspicion. During search operations, powdered substances were seized. A medical examination confirmed the consumption of narcotic substances.” Vorontsov’s lawyer stated that he is recognized as a witness with the right to defense in the criminal investigation, but he has not been charged.
Two days ago Vorontsov he handed over a letter to his lawyer, where he declares about provocation against him by law enforcers and readiness to be tested.
According to the 2021 census, about 17.04 per cent of the population in Kazakhstan identify themselves as Orthodox Christians. Orthodoxy is the second most widespread religion after Islam. The Kazakhstani Orthodox community is subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate.
