Cabinet reappoints Yelensky as DESS head
DESS head Viktor Yelensky. Photo: nfront.org.ua
On March 15, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine appointed Viktor Yelensky as the head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience. This was reported by the government representative in the Verkhovna Rada Taras Melnychuk in his Telegram channel.
Yelensky's term of duty was set to expire on March 26, 2024.
Viktor Yelensky is a deputy of the VIII convocation from the party "People's Front", a former advisor to Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in 2014, and later was part of Volodymyr Groysman's party list.
Yelensky is a well-known adversary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the "father of the law on 'transfers' of communities", and one of the authors of anti-church laws adopted by the Poroshenko government.
As reported by the UOJ, earlier, an American lawyer for the UOC stated that "before Mr. Yelenskyi's tenure as the Head of State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs, the UOC was guaranteed the right to practice their faith free from harm and harassment, but with his arrival, all this changed."
Read also
ROCOR Priest Reflects on Trip to Capitol Hill
Archpriest Victor Boldewskul participated in the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco's Day of Action to raise awareness about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Hundreds of Chinese Christians Arrested in Pre-Christmas Crackdown
Hundreds of Chinese Christians face spending Christmas in detention after authorities launched a sweeping pre-holiday crackdown on churches under Beijing’s campaign to control religious life.
Ukraine Adviser: UOC Not Banned, but Offered a 'Choice' of Jurisdictions
A Ukrainian presidential adviser said the UOC is not banned but pressured to choose between joining the OCU, submitting to Constantinople, or remaining unregistered, while dismissing international concerns as propaganda.
Indiana Reports 98% Drop in Abortions Under Stricter Law
Indiana’s latest health report shows a 98% drop in reported abortions under stricter laws, though dozens still occurred under legal exceptions and concerns persist about unreported pill abortions.
Armenian Apostolic Church Pushes Back on Political Encroachment
The Armenian Apostolic Church plans to appeal to international bodies to resist government interference and defend its clergy and sacred relics.
Attempted Takeover at Armenian Etchmiadzin Cathedral Thwarted by Faithful
Supporters of Armenian PM Pashinyan attempted to storm Etchmiadzin Cathedral amid calls for the Catholicos’s resignation but were blocked by parishioners and security.