Statement on violations of rights of UOJ journalists submitted to UN HRC

Honoring the right to freedom of speech must be ensured by the state

In the framework of the 37th session of the UN HRC, human rights defenders submitted a separate statement saying that the attack on the UOJ office violates the rights of journalists who inform the society about discrimination of Orthodox Christians. This is reported by the website protiktor.com.

"Observance of the right to freedom of speech should be provided by the state especially with regard to journalists and human rights defenders working in the field of humanitarian and religious values," the website of human rights activists says. "The violent pressure of offenders, which is aimed at intimidating or limiting the ability to disseminate information, undermines the basis of state security and destroys the democratic principles of the development of society."

"Union of Orthodox Journalists" is an organization that for a long time has been informing the Ukrainian society about religious issues and therefore, the state should ensure the protection of freedom of speech for representatives of this organization, as well as for other representatives of the journalistic profession, the Public Advocacy emphasizes.

The full text of the statement is available here.

The Human Rights Council is an international human rights body under the UN General Assembly. NGO Public Advocacy has submitted a statement in accordance with its mandate to consider reports of violations of law and threats to peace and stability.

Read also

DESS: The number of communities joining OCU in 2024 is half of last year’s

Over a year, 232 communities of the UOC changed their jurisdiction.

Scale of internal damage to UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia shown online

The video allows viewers to assess the damage endured by the main Orthodox church of the UOC in Zaporizhzhia.

Ex-MP UOC protodeacon Novinsky declared suspicion of high treason

The former MP is accused of "ensuring that a significant part of Ukrainian society, who are believers of the UOC, remain under the direct influence of the leader of the ROC".

St Andrew’s icon survives under the rubble of UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia

The icon was painted by nuns of the St Nicholas Monastery in Patras (Greece) and consecrated on the relics of St Andrew the Apostle.

RF missile strike destroys St Andrew's Cathedral of UOC in Zaporizhzhia

The fragments damaged the roof of the building, dome, ceilings, cut windows and disfigured classrooms.

Media shows conditions in which persecuted communities of Volyn have to pray

After their churches were seized, UOC faithful are compelled to pray in poorly equipped facilities.