Chernivtsi cathedral community asks President and Ombudsman for protection

Believers of the UOC are clearing out their cathedral. Photo: "Faithful of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC"

The religious community of the parish of the Holy Spirit Cathedral of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy (UOC) has sent urgent appeals to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets, requesting protection of their constitutional rights and an objective investigation of the incident. A copy of the appeal was provided to the UOJ.

The document states that on June 17, 2025, around 14:30, a serious incident occurred near the cathedral at 85 Holovna Street involving unknown individuals in balaclavas armed with knives. According to the statement, these individuals had not been seen on the cathedral grounds before. As a result of the use of physical violence, pepper spray, handcuffs, and other special means, several faithful and clergy members sustained injuries and were hospitalized.

The community is particularly concerned that representatives of law enforcement, including Sviatoslav Anatoliiovych Kishlar, Deputy Head of the Main Department of the National Police of Chernivtsi Region, and Serhiy Borysovych Antoniuk, Head of the Department for Pre-Trial Investigations, were present during the incident but took no measures to prevent the violence.

In their appeal to the head of State, the community refers to violations of Articles 3, 28, 35, and 39 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which guarantee human dignity, the prohibition of cruel treatment, freedom of religion, and the right to peaceful assembly. They also point to violations of Ukraine’s international obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The religious organization requests to initiate a review of the legality of the actions of law enforcement officers, ensure public oversight of the investigation, and take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Photo and video materials of the incident, which, according to the applicants, confirm their version of events, are attached to the appeals.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that militants of the OCU brutally beat a UOC priest in Chernivtsi, and his condition remains serious.

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