Lawyer from USA Amsterdam to meet in Kyiv with UOC Synod members
American human rights activist Robert Amsterdam. Photo: facebook.com/robert.amsterdam
In the coming days, American human rights lawyer Robert Amsterdam will come to Kyiv, where he will meet with members of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, representatives of the government, and Ukrainian MPs. This was reported to the UOJ by a source close to Amsterdam.
According to him, the meeting will discuss issues related to the bill №8371 banning the UOC.
In a comment to "Strana", Amsterdam noted that if the bill is passed in the second reading, he "will take both domestic and international legal steps."
"I am ready to meet with the head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, Mr. Yelensky, or their representatives (DESS – Ed.), if they wish, to help them find a way to support Ukraine in accordance with its international human rights obligations," he said.
At the same time, the human rights defender stated that he had planned a series of meetings with UOC lawyers, as well as illegally convicted and accused defenders of the Church.
"I would request meeting with members of the government, with members of the Rada and, you know, request honest exchange of views... <...> I would like to warn representatives of the government and parliament against the mistake and not give them a chance to organize a second reading for the bill (on the ban of the UOC – Ed.)," he said in an interview published on the Alexander Shelest YouTube channel.
As the UOJ reported, Robert Amsterdam sent the "White Book" to the Verkhovna Rada on the bill banning the UOC.
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