UOC reports to OSCE on barring believers from participation in procession

Archbishop Clement of Nezhin and Priluki at a meeting with representatives of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine

Archbishop Clement of Nezhin and Priluki reported on facts of infringement of the rights of believers to representatives of the OSCE special monitoring mission in Ukraine during the meeting on July 25 at the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. This is reported by the Information and Educational Department of the UOC.

The Archpriest told human rights defenders about the problems the believers are currently facing due to their desire to come to Kiev to participate in the celebration of the Baptism of Rus on July 27.

Representatives of the mission recorded all the facts furnished by Archbishop Clement according to the information that comes from different regions of Ukraine.

As reported by the UOJ, officials massively block the participation of believers in the religious procession of the UOC. In Zaporozhye, Zhitomir, Rovno and other regions, the UOC believers are prevented from attending the procession in the capital, including putting pressure on carriers.

Also, many sources receive information that the authorities used the administrative resource to provide “extras” to the actions of the Kiev Patriarchate, which will be held on July 28.

Earlier, commenting on media reports on the obstruction by the authorities of participation of the UOC believers in the procession, lawyers from NGO Public Advocacy qualified such actions as a criminal offense.

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