Address of the residents of Uhryniv village and parish of the local religious community

We, residents of Uhryniv village of Horohivskyi district, Volyn region and parish of the local religious community, Tetiana M. Halashevska, Yulia V. Havryliuk, Marta M. Hryshchuk, Larysa O. Parkhomiuk, Ivan P. Ostrovskyi, Halyna V. Bondaruk, Larysa P. Hlushchuk, Hanna V. Ostrovska, Kateryna P. Husar, Valentyna I. Kovalchuk, Iryna O. Alimova, Maria M. Kovalchuk, Nadia M. Matsekh, Natalia I. Sapozhnyk, Rostyslav M. Sapozhnyk, Yevhenia H. Syrovatka, Zoya F. Shyshka, Yevhen V. Marchuk, Mykola Y. Fedonchuk, Svitlana M. Fedonchuk, Mykola M. Fedonchuk, Luyiza V. Ganich, Oxana M. Hryshchuk, Pavlo V. Kosiachnikov, Yulia M. Kosiachnikova, Nina Y. Marchuk, Mykola M. Kovalchuk, Nadia I. Kovalchuk, Olena V. Bukiya, Yuriy Z. Bukiya, Yevheniya M. Stiekunova-Semeniuk, Anatoliy V. Semeniuk, in accordance with the law on “Submissions from the Citizens” bring to your attention that protopriest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (hereinafter referred to as the UOC) Rostyslav Sapozhnyk fell prey to bullying and criminal actions on the part of representatives of local authorities and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate (hereinafter referred to as the KP).

Father Rostyslav has been beneficiary of our congregation for over 17 years. He, his wife, and his children became an integral part of our village community a long time ago. Since last year, however, we’ve been faced up to confrontation between the UOC and the KP sparkled by particular citizens from the village. On September 10th 2014 the KP representatives, with an active involvement of Andriy Turak, Volyn regional council deputy, seized the Uhryniv church by force, changed its door locks and declared it the KP property (recordings are attached below). The prayer service was disrupted even on the premises outside the church despite the fact the KP religious community has got their own newly built church in the village.

Father Rostyslav refused to accede to the KP. Since then he has held prayer services in the yard of his own house or even inside the house. In fact, over 100 villagers in Uhryniv keep loyal to the UOC. At the same time the priest filed a suit to the court on unlawful actions of the KP representatives. His opponents, in response, started to put pressure upon him and his family resorting to a series of unlawful acts.

Andriy Turak, who is not only a regional council deputy but also a proprietor of a big agricultural enterprise and, in fact, a sole employer in the village, launched a smear campaign of pressure and intimidation. He has repeatedly urged protopriest Sapozhnyk () to pass to the KP; made threats to drive the priest out of the village. Turak’s employees who chose to take side of the persecuted priest were put at risk of being dismissed. Losing a job in this case is equal to death sentence given that there aren’t any other job prospects in the village. Eventually, Turak managed to intimidate people insomuch that proponents of the UOC in the village fear to openly express their opinion while worships are attended secretly.

On March 18th 2015 those who had declared themselves as new owners of the church began repairing work on the territory in dispute (there is no court ruling so far). Additionally, the church building is an architectural landmark (it was built in 1780) and any intrusions or changes of its architectural design without relevant authorization of state bodies go against the law. During the construction work several tombs in the church yard were desecrated. Father Rostyslav tried to interfere and stop this vandalism. When the priest (as a resident of Uhryniv village and a co-owner of the church) was trying to enter the sanctuary in order to take a look at the building from the inside, they pushed him away from the adjacent territory and then hit his head with a stick inflicting hematoma. The militia fixed the incident.

Long before the beating protopriest Sapozhnyk and his family were blackmailed with money. The KP supporters in the village led by Andriy Turak began to press the Father for rental payment for the house where the priest and his family have lived for over 17 years now. This house is owned by the UOC religious community. The people who squeeze money from the priest violate the Ukrainian legislation. For they have neither a lease agreement nor the documents to prove the right to ownership as well as the right to charge rental payment.

The KP representatives substantiate their blackmail actions by referring to some “village community gatherings”. We enclose to this address a document with signatures whereby certain Uhryniv residents determine a monthly rental payment for the house in an amount of 6.000 UHR. This sum is too big even for rentals in the capital – not to mention a village hut. The true reason for offering such a sky-high payment is to evict the priest from his house just because he remained loyal to his Church and dared to defend his own rights as well as those of his parish.

On May 23rd 2015 representatives of Uhryniv village council and land surveyors came to the house yard of the Sapozhnyks. Not giving any explanations they started to measure the land. On the demand of father Rostyslav they showed some odd documents by which both the land and the house where it is built belong to the KP. How it could be and who issued the documents is totally incomprehensible. Nor is it clear whether they are authentic or counterfeit due to the fact the UOC has been in legal ownership of this land and this house for over 20 years.

Regrettably, local authorities and representatives of law enforcement don’t respond to the offences committed against father Rostyslav. The village head of Uhryniv denies the fact of illegal seizure of the church (copy of his letter is attached). The militia sometimes makes records of wrongdoings but don’t go further than that. The procuracy and the judiciary turn a blind eye on persecutions of the Orthodox priest and the evidence of illegal seizure.

For the time being father Rostyslav and his family are deprived of livelihood. They can’t even afford to buy foodstuffs. The priest’s family manage to survive thanks to some food reserves and their vegetable garden. Every day is likely to be the day they will be forced to leave their home. Every day they listen to threats and suffer from bullying. Even most committed UOC parish is afraid to help their priest due to the risk of losing their jobs as well as continual pressure and intimidation coming from the KP representatives.

According to the Ukrainian legislation in force, the International Convention on Human Rights, and the International Pact on Civil and Political Rights we request you to step in to defend Rostyslav Sapozhnyk from the outrage of local authorities and religious extremists.

A list of the materials attached:

1.Video recordings of the church seizure and an aggressive behavior of the KP proponents;

2.Record of the conversation between Andriy Turak and Rostyslav Sapozhnyk;

3.Demand of rental payment in an amount of 6.000 UHR per month.

Address of the residents of Uhryniv village and parish of the local religious community

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