A report on the situation about the human rights in Ukraine was published by the UN shortly before the presidential elections in Ukraine.
March 13, 2019 – The report was drafted by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), on the religious situation in Ukraine, reports Romfea.news.
The report highlights the violation of the rights and freedoms of the believers who belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Moscow[note]The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) is an autonomous Orthodox Church with the headquarter in Kiev, Ukraine. It is spiritually and canonically linked with the Russian Orthodox Church.[/note].
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights also refers to the decision of the Parliament of Ukraine regarding the compulsory renaming of the religious organizations associated with the Russian Federation.
“The OHCHR expresses its concern that this process is mainly targeted at the Ukrainian Church of the Patriarchate of Moscow, and it may be discriminatory,” the report said.
The OHCHR also expresses its concern that the Parliament of Ukraine justifies restrictions on the access of the clergy of these organizations to the premises of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which violates Article 18 8 (3) of the ICCPR.
Finally, in order to immediately improve the protection of fundamental freedoms, the OHCHR, taking into account the upcoming elections, recommends that the Government of Ukraine fulfill its international obligations in the field of human rights (Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 2 of the Declaration on all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief.
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- Feb. 18, 2019 – Representative of Ukrainian Orthodox Church appeals to international organization over facts of mass violations of rights of believers in Ukraine
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