Amsterdam: UOC journalists face life sentences for reporting the truth
Corridor in Lukyanivska Prison. Photo: rbc.ua
Robert Amsterdam, the head of the legal company "Amsterdam & Partners LLP", told Tucker Carlson, a television journalist, that Orthodox journalists are being judged for reporting the truth.
Robert Amsterdam shared with Carlson that the authorities of Ukraine spent 3.5 million dollars "to try to justify" the closure of the UOC and "deflect attention from that".
Carlson clarified whether he understood correctly that "your tax dollars are being used to defame you through sleazy PR agencies and lobbyists in Washington."
"Oh, absolutely. And I mean it’s happening daily. You know, they are defaming me. That’s okay. But defaming the Church, defaming men of God, who are facing arrest, some journalists for the Ukrainian Church are facing life sentences for reporting the truth about the activities of the government in seizing churches and jailing priests," said Amsterdam.
He underscored that "These young men are in a cell right now where there are 20 beds for 28 men. They have to revolve their sleeping. Their crime is they’ve reported of church seizures."
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that lawyers urge the U.S. government to pay attention to the encroachment of the Ukrainian authorities on religious freedom.
Read also
432 UOC churches damaged in Ukraine during war, report says
According to the Religion on Fire project, 807 religious buildings in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed as a result of hostilities.
DESS official gives number of clergy exempt from mobilization in Ukraine
A DESS representative said the actual number of clergy exempt from mobilization is significantly lower than the number of religious organizations designated as critical.
Cabinet keeps gas prices unchanged for religious organizations
The Cabinet has fixed gas prices for religious organizations through the end of the 2026–2027 heating season.
Concert held at seized Cherkasy cathedral
The OCU thanked the musical ensemble for choosing the Cherkasy cathedral as the venue for a Baroque music concert.
OCU activist admits breaking into UOC church in Sloviansk
Oleksandr Onyshchenko said that the OCU held its first "service" at the Seraphim Church, which had previously been broken into by forcing the locks and doors.
Archimandrite Ioustinos, longtime keeper of Jacob's Well, dies in Jordan
Archimandrite Ioustinos (Mamallos), the keeper of Jacob's Well in Nablus, has died after a prolonged illness.