UN recognises authorities' actions against UOC as human rights violation

The UN headquarters. Photo: shutterstock.com

On 4 October 2023, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report on human rights violations in Ukraine between 1 February and 31 July 2023. In its report published on the High Commissioner's website, the UN recognised the actions of the Ukrainian authorities towards the UOC as a human rights violation.

The UN said that they had documented 10 cases of physical violence and six cases of threats resulting from conflicts between parishioners of different denominations (OCU and UOC – Ed.).

The UN report also contains information about the seizure of the UOC cathedral in Ivano-Frankivsk, where OCU raiders used tear gas against believers and UOC clergy. It was noted that Although the police were within five meters of the incident, they did not separate participants or prevent violence.

According to the UN, several people were injured in the violence against UOC believers, at least one cleric was hospitalised and a woman suffered a miscarriage after a teargas attack.

" The number of incidents decreased after April, with one case of violence documented in July. During this incident in Kyiv region, the police failed to prevent clashes. However, in several similar incidents documented by OHCHR, law enforcement on site took action to prevent the escalation of violence," reads the report.

In addition, the UN report on human rights violations included the cancellation of agreements with the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, law enforcers' searches of churches and monasteries, suspicions and preventive measures against clerics and hierarchs of the UOC.

"Several city and regional councils also banned the “activities of the UOC” in the respective areas.90 In addition, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy prematurely terminated the agreement with the UOC on the use of the State-owned Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, citing violations of the agreement," the UN reported.

As reported, the UN recorded an upsurge in violence and hate rhetoric against the UOC.

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