POLITICAL SYMPATHIES OR ANTIPATHIES SHOULD NOT AFFECT JUSTICE—P.Ts.U. DECLARATION
Clergymen of the PTsU [Orthodox Church of Ukraine] expressed profound concern over the crisis of trust in one of the most important state institutions—justice; and they think that law enforcement agencies must not in their activity be guided by political sympathies or antipathies. This is stated in their declaration.
The clergymen note that justice must adhere to the rule of law and take into account the principle of presumption of innocence.
"Distrust of justice also substantially undermines the international authority of Ukraine. We recall how the judicial prosecutions of opposition leaders during the presidency of Yanukovich were a constant object of the attention and proper criticism on the part of democratic countries and international institutions," the declaration says.
Representatives of the PTsU note that they do not intend to interfere in the sphere of investigations and judicial proceedings, where the responsibility lies upon the state.
"As the church, we are compelled to pay attention to the fact that in recent time, especially in news media associated with the aggressor state, the opinion has been conveyed that various accusations that have been advanced against the fifth president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, have something to do with his role as head of state in the facilitation of church unification, the formation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and its receipt of the tomos from the ecumenical patriarch.
"Taking all of the aforesaid into account, it is obvious that any political motivation in the activity of law enforcement agencies and criminal cases, particularly against the fifth president of Ukraine, is impermissible," the authors of the document stress.
"Moreover, it will be a danger for civil peace in circumstances of Russian aggression, when the aggressor country is happy to use any conflicts within Ukraine to the detriment of our country and for the achievement of its goals in the hybrid war.
"In each democratic society there always are diverse attitudes toward politicians: some support them and some do not. But the axiom of democracy is that political sympathies or antipathies do not affect justice. Departure from this axiom always leads to departure from democracy," the PTsU clergymen add. (tr. by PDS, posted 12 June 2020)
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