The UOC Representation to European International Organizations draws attention to the report of the Office of the High Commissioner at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, which ended on October 7, 2022 in Geneva, and to the commentary of the human rights organization Public Advocacy. This was reported by the Information and Educational Department of the UOC.
The document notes that the local authorities of at least seven territorial communities in the Kyiv, Sumy and Lviv regions temporarily suspended the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for the duration of martial law.
“Local authorities, for example, the city council of Brovary in the Kyiv region, also banned meetings, rallies, campaigns and other public events of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church during the period of martial law without providing a clear justification for such a ban. This suspension raises concerns about its compliance with international human rights standards. The authorities did not explain the grounds on which such measures were introduced,” the report says.
The report covers the period from February 1 to July 30, 2022. It was during these six months that several statements by various structures of the UOC about the illegal actions of local governments against the Church were published on the official websites of the UOC.
The UN notes that manifestations of hatred, aggression and acts of discrimination against religious organizations of the UOC and its believers are the subject of monitoring at the international level and will continue to cause a reaction from the international community.
The representation of the UOC to European international organizations once again emphasizes that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is an independent religious denomination with a center of administration in Kyiv, whose believers are citizens of Ukraine, acts within the framework of Ukrainian legislation and opposes hatred on religious or any other grounds.
The representation of the UOC at European international organizations will continue to assist international organizations in obtaining reliable information about the violation of the rights of UOC believers, especially in cases where believers and religious organizations of the UOC cannot receive proper legal protection at the national level.
