Beyond God and Law. Everyday life of the Kyiv Patriarchate

The Kyiv Patriarchate, a confession which calls itself Orthodox and the most patriotic in Ukraine, shows an unprecedented disregard for the Ukrainian legislation and the rights of Ukrainian citizens. Over the past five months Rivno diocese human rights activist Kateryna Ivaniuk has filed ten claims on hatred on religious grounds. Sixty hearings were held.

According to K. Ivaniuk, the result obtained in various courts is foreseen: 90% of rulings and decisions are in favour of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The UOC religious communities guided by current legislation duly drew up all the title documents to church buildings, while the party that regularly provokes religious wars, apart from lengthy posts on their websites and in social networks, does not provide any other arguments.

"Gaining the inaction of law enforcement officers, representatives of the UOC-KP systematically violate current legislation of Ukraine and do not bear any liability for it. Thus, an awareness of the legality of criminal unlawful actions is formed in offenders’ mind, and as a result – the number of crimes generated on religious basis in Rivne region grows every day, " – said the lawyer.

Adherents of the Kyiv Patriarchate began to disregard Ukrainian legislation immediately after the formation of the KP. In the early 90s, the schismatic church formed its network of parishes exclusively through the seizure of the UOC churches. With the assistance of high-rank officials, only in Rivne region there were 115 raided Orthodox churches. After the brigand eviction of the UOC faithful from their churches, the Kyiv Patriarchate representatives has failed to properly formalize ownership of captured religious buildings so far. In a large number of villages they have not even registered their communities.

For example, in the village of Tarakaniv, Dubno district, the existence of the UOC-KP religious community is still legally not confirmed. But it does exist, and more than two decades it has been holding worship in the church confiscated from the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

"There are hundreds of similar cases in our country. To make a request to the USR is the easiest way to make sure of my words. Para 4 of Art. 334 of the Civil Code of Ukraine goes: "The right to property, subject to state registration shall arise from the date of such registration in accordance with the law", – said the lawyer. Therefore, no registration means no right.

For more than 20 years methods of mob justice, self-proclaimed and self-justified criminal offences of the Kyiv Patriarchate have remained the same. Under the false slogans like "Every candle bought in the UOC church is a bullet in the forehead of a Ukrainian soldier" hundreds of supporters of the Kiev Patriarchate seize churches, beat and injure the UOC believers, justifying their actions with pseudo-referendums.

Over the past two years in Rivne region the Kyiv Patriarchate has 13 churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Three religious buildings are now under active attacks by dissenters. There is little hope left that the violators will regard Ukrainian judicial decisions. And the interfaith confrontation in the village of Ptycha, Dubno district, eloquently illustrates the force of Ukrainian laws.

"There were three hearings on the Ptycha case only in 2015. Decisions and rulings were in favour of the religious community of the UOC. On January 26, 2016, the Supreme Economic Court recognized the title right of the UOC believers to the church. But all this has not stabilized the situation in the village yet. The church is still closed, the faithful have to pray in a room adjusted for worship "- says Kateryna Ivaniuk.

But local authorities that sympathize with the UOC-KP raiders launched a new range of prosecutions, ignoring the decision of the highest judicial body of the state. On the day of the Epiphany the Rivne City Court ordered to arrest the church in the village of Ptycha that up to now has belonged to the religious community of the UOC. The reason for the arrest was the suspicion that the UOC community can burn their church – that very church that they have been defending from the schismatics so long. The second round of trial is awaiting the Orthodox community of Ptycha.

Despite numerous appeals to the police and even to the President of Ukraine, the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have yet no assurance that their rights will be protected. For all levels of authority, even the President’s, clearly demonstrate that the Kyiv Patriarchate is beyond the law.

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