UN Human Rights Monitors met Faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
February 1, 2016. A meeting of UN Human Rights Monitors with priests and the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of the Moscow Patriarchate was held in Kolosova, Bashuky, Ekaterinovka, and Uhly villages of Ukraine, as reports press-service of the UOC MP.
On 30 January 2016 in Kremenets the representatives of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Ukraine Clare William and Natalye Pilipow had a discussion with members of orthodox communities of Kolosova, Bashuky, Ekaterinovka, and Uhly. Residents of these villages have been repeatedly subjected to violence and threatened with bodily harm by the “Kyiv Patriarchate” followers supported by radical groups hostile to the UOC. Local communities of the UOC in Bashuky and Ekaterinovka have their churches seized while in Kuty the worships are constantly hampered.
The representatives of the UN Human Rights Mission were shown evidence of violation of rights of UOC followers in Ternopil region and introduced to the problem of persecution of priests and church members by representatives of the Kiev Patriarchate, within the juridical field.
The monitors of UN Human Rights Mission in Ukraine listened to the messages of local Christians and expressed their hope for further cooperation in the framework of their monitoring mission. The Human Rights Mission publishes monthly reports on the situation of human rights in Ukraine and proposes recommendations for its improvement.