At the OSCE meeting experts condemn the oppression of believers in Ukraine

Within the framework of the OSCE Human dimension implementation meeting-2016 in Warsaw, a plenary session devoted to combating discrimination on religious grounds was held. Representatives of the UOC delegation told the international community about the large number of violations of the rights of believers in 2015-2016.

Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich, Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC, said that over the past two years the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been subject to discriminated. This fact is already recognized at the international level.

"In particular, the U.S. State Department published Annual Report on International Religious Freedom-2015, which describes in detail violations of the rights of believers in Ukraine, – said Nikolai Danilevich. – During this time, the situation has not changed: the seizures of churches continue. We don't want all these facts to be used for political propaganda. We are talking about them to find solutions to existing problems and want a constructive relationship with our government".

The speaker was supported by Oleg Denisov, a member of the Board of Directors of human rights association "Human Rights Advocacy".

"We have prepared a report – a collection of facts and documents which are presented to all participants, he said. – I would like to note that all of these crimes are based on hate speech and aimed at inciting hatred. All this is widely used by both radical organization and, unfortunately, some government officials and even leaders of some denominations".

Deacon Feodor Shulga, a staff member of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, drew attention to the fact that in civilized Europe it is impossible to imagine that "members of one denomination seize churches of another denomination through mass beatings of the laity and the clergy and falsifying documents. And all this takes place with the support of local authorities."

"The worst thing is that today in Ukraine such violations are going to be legalized at the legislative level. Bill № 4128 deliberately confuses the notions of religious community and municipal commune," said Shulga.

The human rights organization "Human Rights Advocacy" recommended that the representatives of the government delegation enact special legislation establishing responsibility for statements of hatred on religious grounds.