Meeting of reps of UOC legal departments takes place at Kyiv Lavra

A meeting of representatives of legal departments of UOC eparchies. Photo: law.church.ua

On September 20, 2021, with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, the 5th Assembly of representatives of the eparchial legal departments of the UOC took place at the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, reports the website of the Legal Department of the UOC.

Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary addressed the participants of the event with an opening speech.

According to the bishop, such meetings have become the platform where each of those present has the opportunity to exchange practical experience, receive recommendations, instructions, talk about their problems, the situation on the ground, and share their experience in solving certain issues.

The meeting was held under the leadership of the head of the Legal Department of the UOC, Archpriest Alexander Bakhov. During the meeting, a number of issues concerning the legal support of the activities of religious organizations and the violation of the rights of believers and religious communities of the UOC were discussed; a review of judicial practice was carried out; the issues of civil and criminal-legal protection were considered.

Practical recommendations were provided on the legal position of protection against the raider seizure of religious communities of the UOC and the actions of a lawyer in the implementation of pre-trial investigation of criminal offences.

Concluding the meeting of lawyers, the Chairman of the Legal Department of the UOC Archpriest Alexander Bakhov thanked those present for their active participation in the event and wished God's help.

He also reminded those present that cases of violation of the rights of the episcopate, clergy, laity and institutions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (obstruction of worship, seizure of churches, the commitment of provocations and pressure, threats, etc.) must be immediately reported to the Legal Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

As reported earlier, the UOC Chancellor called on the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to take the seizure case in Krasnoselka under personal control.

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