Human rights defenders appeal to Lviv RSA head on situation in Zolochiv

Разрушенная противниками УПЦ ограда вокруг дома священнослужителя в Золочеве. Фото: facebook.com/mykola.danylevych

The NGO "Public Advocacy" with consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council sent an information request to the head of the Lviv Regional City Administration Maxim Kozitsky regarding the situation with violations of UOC believers’ rights in Zolochiv, reports an UOJ source.

“Violations of the rights of believers of the UOC, acts of discrimination and defamation against this denomination are under international supervision, new cases of violation of believers' rights without the protection of state authorities, and even more so – acts of discrimination by civil servants negatively affect the international image and ratings of the state," says the document.

In connection with the events around the representatives of the UOC in Zolochiv and the reaction to them by the local authorities, human rights defenders requested a number of documents and written explanations from the Lviv Regional State Administration "to provide international organizations with substantiated answers".

In particular, the human rights organization wants to know what actions the Lviv Regional State Administration is taking to stop acts of discrimination and restriction of religious rites, as well as to prevent incitement of religious hatred against the UOC and its clergy in Zolochiv.

Earlier, the NGO "Public Advocacy" stated that the situation in Zolochiv could become an illustrative example of the religious intolerance of the local authorities towards the UOC and promised to bring it to the attention of all leading international human rights organizations.

As reported, since July 2020, the persecution of the believers and priest of the UOC, Fr. Maksim Yoenko, fueled by local authorities, continues in Zolochiv, Lviv region. Accusing the cleric of the illegal construction of a UOC church, the Zolochiv mayor's Office installed CCTV cameras and through the courts is seeking the forced dismantling of the fence on the priest’s private territory.

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