Met. Theodosiy urges UN to more vigorously defend believers’ rights
Metropolitan Theodosiy speaking at the UN. Photo: screenshot from the UN YouTube channel.
On March 20, 2024, Metropolitan Theodosiy (Snigirev) of Cherkasy and Kaniv of the UOC spoke at the UN at the meeting "General Debates on Situations Requiring the Attention of the UN Human Rights Council", according to NGO Public Advocacy.
The hierarch of the UOC spoke about physical violence against UOC believers, the seizure of temples and lawsuits by the authorities, and the seizure of land plots on which churches stand.
"As the ruling hierarch of one of the UOC dioceses, I am subject to criminal prosecution by the Ukrainian authorities for opposing violations of the rights of believers, for expressing my religious beliefs and theological position. Criminal cases have been initiated against several other metropolitans of our denomination, one of whom, aged 75, was sentenced to 5 years in prison simply for speaking the truth in his sermons," noted Metropolitan Theodosiy.
He said that the UN special rapporteurs had sent three messages to Ukraine, but all of them were ignored by the authorities.
"The lawlessness of the Ukrainian authorities must be halted. I urge the international community to be more vigorous in defending justice and human rights in Ukraine," he said.
As the UOJ reported, the head of the human rights organization NGO Public Advocacy, Oleg Denisov, stated that he had informed representatives of UN member states about the situation of UOC hierarchs, who are human rights defenders in line of their activities, and about their criminal persecution.
Read also
Clergy and faithful of Nizhyn Eparchy donate blood for wounded soldiers
Metropolitan Clement, priests, nuns, and UOC parishioners took part in the blood-donation drive at the Nizhyn District Hospital.
Phanar hierarch: Encounting head of Montenegro's schismatics is accidental
The Archbishop of Finland stated that his meeting with the head of the "Montenegrin Orthodox Church" was "brief".
New head of Lavra Reserve lets Dumenko into Near Caves
Maksym Ostapenko allowed Epifaniy Dumenko and his associates into the Near Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Khmelnytskyi RMA legalizes “transfer” of UOC church to OCU in Kuzmyn
The regional authorities carried out the re-registration of the community despite protests by parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Warming stations opened in UOC churches in Kyiv for capital’s residents
By the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy, UOC parishes in Kyiv have organized assistance points for the city’s residents during the freezing days.
Amsterdam: Ukraine and Armenia use Bolshevik methods to destroy the Church
The lawyer said that under the pretext of an “anti-Russian stance”, the governments of Zelenskyy and Pashinyan are employing undemocratic methods against the Church.