Conference of advocates and religious scholars condemns persecution of UOC

The Trinity Monastery of Chernihiv. Photo: wikimedia.org

An international conference titled "Finland-Latvia-Ukraine" was held on October 9, 2023, in a telebridge format, organized by the Helsinki Interfaith Peacemaking Group and the interreligious dialogue project Dialogi.online. Participants included sociologists, theologians, religious scholars, politicians, and peacekeepers from Finland, Latvia, Germany, Canada, the UK, Switzerland, and Ukraine.

During the conference, sociologist Nikolai Mitrokhin, politician Artem Dmytruk, and human rights defender Denis Lapin addressed key issues regarding religious freedoms in Ukraine and the conflict between Ukrainian authorities and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

The moderator from the Helsinki Group emphasized that all participants support Ukraine: "We all support Ukraine, refugees, and our governments' humanitarian efforts. We are friends of Ukraine who want it to remain a democratic country despite the threats posed by the war." He added that after the conflict, it is essential for Ukraine to maintain its democratic path.

Special attention was given to the persecution of the UOC. Journalist and human rights defender Denis Lapin presented a chronicle of the conflict that began in 2018 with the seizure of churches and the forced transition of communities to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). Lapin reminded attendees that the head of the UOC, Metropolitan Onufriy, unequivocally condemned Russian aggression on February 24, 2022, and since then the church has continued to provide humanitarian aid despite accusations and repression. "We see attempts to terminate rental agreements for churches, which threatens the UOC," he stated, urging the international community to pay attention to these actions.

Sociologist Nikolai Mitrokhin characterized the situation as a conflict between two models of state-building. He noted that Ukraine is balancing between a national state project and the necessity to adhere to human rights and democratic norms demanded by the EU and NATO: "The destruction of the church as such is impossible, but it can be driven underground, creating tens of thousands of communities that are critically opposed to the government."

Member of Parliament Artem Dmytruk stressed that the bill to ban the UOC has divided Ukrainian society and increased tensions. He expressed concern that many deputies voting for this law have no connection to religion, and this decision could impact the unity of the country: "The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has provided immense support to the front and those affected from the very first days of the war. Its ban will only exacerbate societal divisions."

Conference participants unanimously agreed that pressure on the UOC violates human rights, including freedom of religion. A Latvian human rights defender stated: "Any changes to the religious landscape must occur as delicately as possible, without the use of administrative resources." He emphasized the importance of preserving traditional Ukrainian freedoms of expression and inclusivity.

In conclusion, it was decided to create a monitoring group to analyze the observance of religious freedoms in Ukraine. A communiqué is planned to be issued, addressed to European politicians and human rights defenders, calling for support of the UOC's rights and the assurance of freedom of religion.

As reported by the UOJ, Mike Pompeo believes that authorities should "push out" the UOC from Ukraine.

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