Human rights lawyer: Law banning UOC to become law against every Ukrainian

On 14 December 2022, lawyer, human rights activist and head of the Women's Power of Ukraine organization Viktoriya Kokhanovska commented on the intention of the Ukrainian authorities to pass a law banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. She posted her appeal on the Telegram channel "Viktoriya Kokhanovska. Women's Power of Ukraine".

The human rights activist reminded that now the entire world community "has united around Ukraine to preserve its integrity and democracy" but not Ukrainian politicians, who instead of "providing Ukrainian citizens with heating in winter, eliminating electricity and water supply disruptions... come up with a bill to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Undoubtedly, this is a blow to those citizens of Ukraine "who provide food to the AFU, who aid through charity, who fight to protect the integrity of the country".

"It is our authorities who are against us... No one can force someone to practice this or that faith," stressed the head of the WPU. She accused "certain political parties" of pride, which makes them go against their fellow citizens, "and this can have disastrous consequences," "32 years of Ukraine's independence, when we were proud of our Constitution, may be ruined by someone's political ambitions.

The human rights activist reminded us that the European Convention on Human Rights clearly states freedom of religion. "If they have wiped their feet on the Constitution of Ukraine, this is a direct violation of Article 9 of the European Convention. This will strike not only the four million citizens of Ukraine but also the image of the whole country. Forget about joining the EU and NATO," Kokhanovska said.

She pointed out that the bill to ban the UOC "brutally violates Ukraine's commitments".

"The state on its own, not in court, but by law – which contradicts the Constitution – deprives Ukrainian citizens of mental well-being," the lawyer stressed. According to her, the attempt to ban the UOC is an interference of the state in the life of every Ukrainian: "No one expected the state to act against its own citizens in times of war".

"But we as the bearers of sovereignty will stand up for our freedom, our democratic country because we are a people, God is with us, our faith is with us – who is against us?" Victoria Kokhanovska concluded.

As reported, the Committee on Humanitarian Policy proposed to the Rada to approve two anti-UOC bills.