European organizations briefed on persecution of the Church in Ukraine

Participants of meetings with the European Commission. Photo: UOJ

From December 3 to 5, 2024, meetings were held in Brussels focusing on freedom of religion and the protection of religious organizations' rights. The visit by representatives of the "Consultation on Freedom of Religion in Eastern Europe" brought European attention to the situation surrounding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which faces persecution in Ukraine.

During these events, a documentary by journalist Denis Lapin was presented, detailing the persecution of the UOC from 2018 to 2024. Additionally, Metropolitan Luka of Zaporizhzhia delivered a report criticizing the new law 3894-IX, which targets the UOC's activities. He called on European politicians to intervene to prevent the complete ban of the Church in Ukraine.

On December 3, the initiative's representatives met with the Conference of European Churches. CEC Advocacy and Dialogue Program leader Elizabeta Kitanovic expressed concern, saying that in her 20 years of studying church-state conflicts, she had never encountered anything as significant and consequential as the persecution of the UOC. She pointed out that law 3894-IX had not been submitted to the Venice Commission for review of its compliance with European standards and that it has not yet been officially translated into European languages. This, according to her, could indicate Ukrainian authorities’ awareness of the potential negative reaction from European politicians and the public.

On December 4, the delegation participated in the European Prayer Breakfast, where issues of religious freedom were discussed. During the event, the delegation met with Christophe Foltzenlogel from the European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ) in Strasbourg. He offered valuable advice on defending the rights and freedoms of Orthodox believers in Ukraine and expressed support for the idea of convening an international conference on the issue of the UOC next year.

The delegation also met with European Commission representatives responsible for church-state relations and the rights of religious organizations. Martin Mühleck, Head of the Ukraine Service of DG NEAR, emphasized that freedom of religion is part of the roadmap for Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations, scheduled to begin in 2025. He noted the importance of ensuring that the application of law 3894-IX does not lead to restrictions on the rights of religious communities.

Vincent Depaigne, Coordinator for Dialogue with Churches, Religions, Philosophical, and Non-Confessional Organizations at the European Commission, confirmed that the situation of the UOC is under close scrutiny by EU bodies responsible for human rights.

As previously reported by the UOJ, international lawyer Robert Amsterdam is going to refile a comprehensive dossier of evidence documenting the persecution of Ukrainian Christians with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

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