Two priests carrying out their ministry in the Russian-occupied city of Berdiansk, Ukraine have been imprisoned by military authorities, according to the international charity, Aid to the Church in Need.

Local Church officials fear they may be subjected to torture.

The two Redemptorist priests had been providing pastoral care to both Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic parishes and are among the few who still remained in the Russian-occupied territories.

According to the official statement sent to ACN, signed by Bishop Stepan Meniok of the Donetsk Exarchate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the detention was “groundless and unlawful”.

ACN expressed great concern “in view of the repeated news about the disregard for basic principles of human rights by Russian Special services, who have taken the clergymen into custody”.

Bishop Meniok called for “the widest possible dissemination of information, in order to free the imprisoned chaplains. We appeal to the authorities and all people of good will with a request to join the cause of the release of the priests, as well as for increased prayer”.