Lawyer comments on Zelensky's statement that UOC is not harassed

Vladimir Zelensky. Photo: president.gov.ua

The founder of the Mogilnitsky and Partners law firm, Maxim Mogilnitsky, commenting on the statement of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on his intention to discuss the situation of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin, noted on his Telegram channel that the head of State should first tell Ukrainians that the discriminatory law on renaming was canceled, and the seized temples of the UOC were returned.

He noted that if the UOC is not oppressed, then why is Zelensky going to discuss this with Putin? But, according to the lawyer, 500 criminal proceedings on the seizure of the UOC temples suggest the opposite. "These are not ’horror stories’ and not even a ‘Kremlin narrative’ but something that Ukrainians face every day," the lawyer said.

And then, in his opinion, Zelensky needs to discuss this not with the President of the Russian Federation, but with the Ukrainian people. “He (Zelensky – Ed.) could have told Orthodox Ukrainians that the discriminatory law on renaming the UOC has finally been rescinded, and the churches, for the illegal seizure of which five hundred (500!) criminal proceedings are being investigated, have been safely returned to the owners and have already opened the doors for parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He could have said it, but for some reason he didn’t,” writes Maksim Mogilnitsky.

As the UOJ reported, Zelensky intends to discuss the issue of the Orthodox Church with Putin.

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