Senator Vance receives letters from imprisoned UOJ journalists

Journalists of the UOJ at the court hearing on August 19 wearing T-shirts with Vance's quote. Photo: Persecution In Ukraine

Letters from imprisoned members of the "Union of Orthodox Journalists" (UOJ) – Valeriy Stupnytsky, Andriy Ovcharenko, and Volodymyr Bobecko – were delivered to the office of the senator from Ohio, whom U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump named as his vice-presidential candidate if he wins. James David Vance (J.D. Vance) received testimonies from these prisoners of conscience regarding their persecution and detention in pre-trial detention centers for defending the rights of the UOC and religious freedom, which the Republican spoke about in his speech.

Our editorial office received confirmation that the letters reached their recipient. In a personal correspondence, a screenshot of which we provide below, it states: "I saw a post [from a person] trying to get the UOC journalists' letters to Vance. Just FYI, I actually gave them to Vance’s national security guy awhile ago. I thought she might want to know that Vance's office has the letters."

"We are writing to you with gratitude and hope. We are being held in a cage without a sentence, tried for almost the same thoughts and statements that you freely voiced in the U.S. Senate in April 2024.

We are believers of the largest religious denomination in Ukraine and have defended the dignity of the UOC from slanderers and haters. We stood up for the truth about our Church. For this, we are facing absurd and ridiculous charges under the toughest articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine...," the letter states.

In their appeals, the UOJ journalists wrote about the criminal prosecution of priests, bishops, and journalists, calling it a disgrace, unthinkable in the democratic world of the 21st century. They also asked for Vance's assistance in securing the release of innocent Orthodox Christians in Ukraine.

As reported by the UOJ, the Сo-Сhair of the U.S. Young Republicans Federation, Catherine Whiteford, published on her X account letters from Orthodox journalists, who have been held in pre-trial detention for more than six months, addressed to U.S. Senator from Ohio, James David Vance.

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