UOL lawyers: Pavlenko's rhetoric is degrading for UOC believers

Rostislav Pavlenko. Photo: hromadske.ua

Lawyers of the Union of Orthodox Lawyers (UOL) of Ukraine believe that the words of the deputy from the "ES" party Rostislav Pavlenko regarding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church humiliate the honor and dignity of the believers of the UOC. Human rights activists wrote about this in their telegram channel.

Pavlenko wrote that the congress of representatives of the persecuted communities of the UOC, which took place on February 22 in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, is "an attempt on the stability and state security" of Ukraine, an "anti-state event" and "an example of collaboration in the framework of a hostile campaign against Ukraine." Also, according to the MP from the "ES", there is no persecution against the UOC in Ukraine.

In turn, UOL human rights activists remind that “the facts of persecution, pressure and violence against believers of the UOC are confirmed by numerous criminal proceedings and court cases”, and certain facts “are constantly recorded in the annual reports of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, OSCE reports and other international organizations."

“Therefore, holding the congress of representatives of the communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church affected by church raiding and sending appeals to President of Ukraine V. Zelensky, Prime Minister D. Shmygal, head of the Verkhovna Rada D. Razumkov and deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine testify to the attempt of the UOC to resolve conflicts peacefully and exclusively in the legal field,” emphasized the lawyers.

Human rights activists believe that "the comments of the ES deputy Rostislav Pavlenko do not correspond to reality, humiliate the honor and dignity of the believers of the UOC and are aimed at inciting religious hatred and animosity, insulting the feelings of citizens in connection with their religious beliefs."

“These statements are unworthy of the high rank of an MP of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and contravene the corresponding oath upon taking office. Therefore, we hope for an apology and refutation of what was said by Rostislav Pavlenko after a more detailed study of the situation by him,” the UOL stressed.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the member of the "European Solidarity" Party accused the congress of the persecuted communities of an attempt on state security.

Read also