Amsterdam sends a letter to UN High Commissioner regarding anti-UOC campaign
The government of Ukraine has not responded to calls from the UN to take positive steps in implementing the Action Plan to Combat Religious Intolerance.
UOC lawyer Robert Amsterdam published a letter sent by his legal firm to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. International human rights activists have provided a detailed description of the extensive campaign of persecution and repression faced by Christians in Ukraine. The document's text is available on the savetheuoc.com website.
The letter extensively lists violations of the Action Plan Resolution of the UN, which all participating countries must adhere to.
"Despite calls from the General Assembly for governments to take a series of positive steps in implementing the Action Plan to Combat Religious Intolerance and Violence against Persons Based on Religion or Belief, the government of Ukraine is joining a systematic campaign of intolerance, the use of negative stereotypes, stigmatization, discrimination, and violence against the UOC and its clergy," the document states.
Lawyers assert that "Ukraine has not only failed to enhance the state's ability to protect freedom of religion, as indicated in Resolution 78/214 Action Plan, but also uses its legislation to discriminate against the UOC due to legislative acts effectively prohibiting this church."
The letter also points out that Ukrainian officials have encouraged and directly committed systematic acts of intimidation and violence against the UOC, its clergy, property, and clergy.
As reported by the UOJ, Robert Amsterdam wrote letters to Ukrainian judges in defense of UOJ journalists.
