All believers in Ukraine entitled to safety, protection, free expression - ombudsman

Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, says all believers in Ukraine have the right to safety, protection, and free expression of their beliefs.

The ombudsman stated this via Telegram on World Religion Day, Ukrinform reports.

The rights of believers in Ukraine are protected by law, Lubinets emphasized.

"Religious issue amid Russia’s ongoing armed aggression against our country has become one of the enemy's tools – the invaders constantly exploit the topic in order to destabilize Ukraine," said Lubinets.

"However, today, on World Religion Day, I would like to recall that the Ombudsman’s Office stands in defense of believers’ rights. Every citizen, regardless of their religious affiliation, has the right to safety, protection, and free expression of their beliefs and freedom of religion," emphasized the commissioner.

He also noted that "currently it is important for us to ensure special protection for religious sites, and those guilty of breaking the law must be held accountable."

As reported, World Religion Day is marked annually on the third Sunday of January at the United Nations initiative. The holiday aims to promote the idea of unity (consistency) of the spiritual principles of different religions, to promote interreligious mutual understanding and tolerance, to spread the humanistic philosophy of religion as a factor that unites and integrates rather than divides.