UOC responds to AUCCRO’s statement about “high level” of religious freedom

Speech by the AUCCRO delegation in Washington. Photo: vrciro.org.ua

They explained that the statements about the "high level" of religious freedom in Ukraine, made by individual members of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO), were not discussed during its meetings and therefore cannot be considered the position of the entire organization. This was announced by the press service of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC.

In their comments on the draft law banning the UOC, the Department for External Church Relations emphasized that the declared "high level" of religious freedom could be lost.

The DECR also called to refrain from discussing issues related to violations of religious freedom in Ukraine without the presence of official representatives of the UOC at such events.

"In light of the adoption of draft law no. 8371 in the first reading, it is wrong to talk about the presence or absence of religious freedom’s violations concerning a specific jurisdiction, in our case – the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, without direct presence of a representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who for some reason was not included in the delegation, although he was submitted as a candidate," the press service reported.

As the UOJ reported, the AUCCRO delegation said in the United States that churches are not closed in Ukraine.

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