Human Rights watch activists criticize law leading to the ban of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

The international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticized a Ukrainian law that could lead to a ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), expressing concerns over religious freedom.

This information reported on the web-site of organization.

“Ukrainian authorities understandably want to address state security issues in the context of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. However, this law infringes on the right to freedom of religion and is so broad that it could violate the rights of supporters of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” said Hugh Williamson, HRW’s Director for Europe and Central Asia.

HRW urges Ukraine to “suspend the implementation of the law and consult” the Venice Commission and the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, requesting an expert review of the law as a basis for revising it to ensure compliance with human rights.

The State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience in Ukraine has outlined requirements for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to meet in order to avoid a ban under the law recently passed by the Verkhovna Rada.