UN Forum raises the issue of anti-church law on renaming UOC
UN Forum on Minority Issues. Photo: NGO “Public Advocacy”
At the 12th Forum on Minority Issues, which took place on November 28-29 in the large conference room of the Human Rights Council at the UN headquarters, the head of the NGO “Public Advocacy” Oleg Denisov raised the topic of the law on forced renaming of the UOC adopted in Ukraine, reports the NGO website.
“In accordance with the article of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, Persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities have the right to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion, and to use their own language, in private and in public, freely and without interference or any form of discrimination,” says the NGO statement.
The session, opened by the chairman of the UN Human Rights Council Coly Seck, was attended by UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Rights Michelle Bachelet, OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities Lamberto Zannier, members of diplomatic missions of UN member states and international organizations.
“We are extremely concerned about the adoption in Ukraine of a law obliging religious organizations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to change their name and include information on their affiliation with the religious centre in the Russian Federation,” Oleg Denisov, head of the NGO “Public Advocacy”, said during the forum. “This law violates the right of believers to canonical identity, that is, the right to independently determine the name of their communities in accordance with prevailing historical, cultural and religious traditions. Such an identity is part of the right to freedom of religion and is subject to international protection. Our organization will make every effort to protect this right.”
As reported earlier, as a result of appeals of the NGO “Public Advocacy”, the UN Human Rights Committee blocked the eviction of the UOC religious community in Ivano-Frankovsk.
Read also
UOC priest’s home damaged in drone strike on Poltava
The home of Archpriest Kostiantyn Fisun, rector of St. Seraphim Church in Poltava, was damaged in a drone attack.
Kyiv Theological Schools begin enrollment for catechetical courses
The Kyiv Theological Academy has announced enrollment for the St. Peter Mohyla Catechetical Courses for laypeople.
Greek hierarch criticizes new school textbooks containing LGBT propaganda
Metropolitan Seraphim called on parents to monitor school lessons in order to protect their children.
Site blessed for new church construction in Oleksandriia Eparchy
On the feast day of St. Seraphim of Sarov, Metropolitan Boholep laid a foundation capsule for a new church.
World Council of Churches condemns confiscation of Evangelical church in Iran
Secretary General Jerry Pillay demanded the return of the St. Peter's Church compound to believers.
Poland repeals law recognizing same-sex unions concluded in EU
The court ruled that the registration of foreign same-sex unions contradicts the article of the Constitution defining marriage as a union of a man and a woman.