Kyiv calls on UN to refrain from ‘unbalanced political assessments’ of actions regarding UOC MP

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to refrain from political assessments in its reports of the actions of Ukraine regarding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).

This is stated in the commentary by Oleg Nikolenko, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding the OHCHR’s concern about the "discriminatory" searches in monasteries, offices, and educational facilities of the UOC (MP).

"Ukraine is a democratic state in which freedom of religion is guaranteed. At the same time, freedom is not the same as the right to engage in activities that undermine national security. We call on OHCHR to refrain from unbalanced political assessments and to base its reports on facts," Nikolenko noted.

As reported, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in its report on the human rights situation in Ukraine over the past six months expressed concern that searches by Ukrainian security forces in the premises of the UOC (MP) could be "discriminatory."