TERRORISTS PERSECUTE ALL CHURCHES EXCEPT UPTsMP—EXPERT
In the self-proclaimed terrorist "republics" in the Donbass, all Ukrainian churches are persecuted, with the exception of UPTsMP. This was stated Wednesday by the chairman of the board of the public organization Institute of Religious Liberty, Alexander Zaets, during a press conference in Ukrinform.
"The situation in the Donbass in the sphere of religious liberty in much more difficult, in comparison with Crimea. On the territories of the so-called DPR and LPR, believers of various churches, except UPTsMP, are experiencing religious restrictions and persecutions. Thus, in May 2014 representatives of the self-proclaimed DPR adopted the text of its constitution which specified religious intolerance as the policy of the separatists. Article 9 of this document indicated: 'The fundamental and dominant faith is the Orthodox faith confessed by the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow patriarchate).' Also in Donetsk a subsidiary called the 'Russian Orthodox Army' was created, which testifies to the intentions of the separatists to establish a state-sponsored faith on the territory of the Donbass by force of arms," Zaiats noted.
He added that since that time the growth of religious intolerance with respect to all Christian churches, with the exception of parishes of UPTsMP, has been identified on territories controlled by militants. The special targets of the militants have been religious communities of the UPTsKP, UGKTs, and protestant churches, as well as all patriotic societies. Many clergy were forced to leave Donetsk and Luhansk because of threats to their lives and religious persecutions. Worship buildings and premises have been confiscated by terrorists of DPR and LPR for their needs, including using them as bases for fighters.
Regarding the situation in Crimea occupied by Russians, Zaiats said that several clergy there also were forced to leave the peninsula and to transfer to mainland Ukraine. Religious organizations there are supposed to undergo reregistration before 1 January 2016. And although the possibility of autonomous registration of religious societies and administrations in accordance with existing legislation of the RF theoretically exists, practically it is almost impossible to achieve it, the expert noted. And therefore the overwhelming majority of religious organizations are being registered "under the roof" of Russian religious centers. Also the general tendency on the Crimean peninsula is that the situation in the religious milieu moves in the general stream of the official policy that is being conducted on Russian territory, Zaiats concluded. (tr. by PDS, posted 29 January 2015)
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