Council of Churches condemns crackdown on protest to support family values
Meeting of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations
On June 26, during its meeting, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations condemned the illegal actions of the police during the dispersal of peaceful protesters on June 17, who participated in the demonstration in defense of family values, reports the Institute for Religious Freedom.
The religious actors stressed that they were deeply concerned about the brutality of the police and the excess of power, which led to the beating of many peaceful protesters, not only from the right-wing radical community, but also from believers of different faiths whose heads were hit with sticks and who sustained fractures and tear gas poisoning.
According to the heads of the confessions, participants in the demonstration were unfairly detained their personal belongings being illegally searched. The Council of Churches expects a comprehensive, impartial and immediate investigation of these illegal actions of the police against peaceful protesters.
On June 17 the March of Equality took place in the center of Kiev – a parade in defense of the rights of LGBT people. The head of the Kiev police, Andrey Krishchenko, stated about 58 detained opponents of the action.
On the eve of the action, His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, Onufry, called on the Kiev authorities to refuse holding a march of representatives of LGBT communities.
A poll of the UOC on the Web showed that Ukrainians for the main part share traditional views on the relationship between the sexes and reveal a negative attitude to the demonstration of same-sex relationships.
Read also
Moldovan Church and Bessarabian Metropolis heads discuss paths for dialogue
Metropolitan Vladimir of the Moldovan Church and Metropolitan Antonie of Bessarabia met in Chișinău.
Court hearing in Upper Lavra case postponed
The court postponed consideration of the Upper Lavra case in Kyiv until September 29 due to procedural violations.
Robert Amsterdam demands investigation into murder of Sviatohirsk Lavra monk
International human rights advocates have called for those responsible for the murder of Monk Varsonofiy (Turianskyi) to be identified and brought to justice.
National Memory Institute head receives ‘Montenegrin Church’ leader in Kyiv
Alferov said the “Montenegrin Church” has seen “significant progress in institutionalization and consolidation.”
UK Defence Secretary visits UGCC cathedral in London
Wes Streeting visited the UGCC cathedral in London on the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.
Jehovah’s Witness gets probation instead of prison term for refusing to fight
Ukraine’s Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a Jehovah’s Witness for evading mobilization but replaced his three-year prison sentence with probation.