Compulsory vaccination is unacceptable: UOC backs CoE's stance

The UOC recalled that vaccination should be voluntary. Photo: zn.ua

The Representation of the UOC to European International Organizations drew attention to the Resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 2361 (2021), according to which vaccination cannot be compulsory, according to the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

The UOC referred to Resolution 2361 (2021) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which establishes international legal standards for the practice of introducing vaccination.

“The analysis of these standards gives grounds to conclude that vaccination cannot be compulsory. The voluntary nature of vaccination is established unambiguously and unconditionally in paragraph 7.3.1. of the Resolution stipulating that vaccination is optional and no one can be forced to undergo this procedure due to political, social or other circumstances. Paragraph 7.3.2. of the same document forbids to subject people to discrimination, that is, various kinds of derogation in their rights due to lack of vaccination,” the UOC stressed.

The Representative Office of the UOC to European International Organizations is confident that “compulsory vaccination is a recognized violation of international law and bioethical standards in medicine. Refusal of employment, dismissal from work, denial of access to services due to lack of vaccination – these and other similar actions are a gross violation of human rights."

The document also states that “the Resolution defines vaccination as a public good and value, calling on states not only to inform the population about its voluntary nature, but also to establish guarantees of compensation for harm if the vaccine causes harm to a person (paragraph 7.1.5.). The authors of this document assume that the harm may be caused by the vaccination itself. Unfortunately, a lot of countries have already reported deaths as a result of vaccination."

The UOC drew attention to the fact that "in accordance with the norms of the Resolution, states and pharmaceutical companies must ensure compliance with high safety standards in the production of vaccines, as well as transparent information to the public about the consequences of their use."

In this regard, the Representation of the UOC to European International Organizations believes that the vaccination process should be carried out exclusively on a voluntary basis, in compliance with high safety standards and a large-scale information campaign about the medical procedures offered to the population and their consequences.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the AUCCRO voiced their attitude to vaccination against coronavirus. 

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