UN: UOC bans by local councils are beyond their powers

The UN flag.Photo: mtwtu

Bans on the UOC and termination of lease agreements with the Church's communities go beyond the authority of local authorities and are discriminatory in nature. This conclusion is contained in the Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine for the period from 1 February to 30 April 2023, recently released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights following the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.

"During April 2023, the city and regional councils of Khmelnytskyi, Rivne and Volyn regions banned 'UOC operation' in their respective territories, following the regional councils of Lviv, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia and Ternopil regions, even though such a ban falls beyond the authority of local councils," the report states. “Many local councils have also applied for the termination of leases of communal property with the UOC. The HRMMU is concerned that the cumulative effect of the government's actions against the UOC may be discriminatory".

As reported, the UN recorded a surge of violence and hate speech against the UOC.

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