British lawyer: ROC - part of Russian military machine
The Russian Orthodox Church plays a direct role in supporting Russian war criminals.
This was stated by British lawyer Jason McCue in an interview with Ukrinform.
“Because it's a church doesn't mean it should be able to get away with murder. It needs to be held accountable,” the lawyer said.
“The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) provided training facilities to groups like Wagner. Guilty. That is aiding and abetting war criminals and terrorists. That's punishable under law,” McCue emphasized.
He also reminded that the Russian Orthodox Church is involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories.
Regarding the terminology that should be used in this case, the lawyer emphasized that it is abduction, not deportation, because deportation is a term from the field of humanitarian law, and “These children have been stripped of their identity, they're being brainwashed, they've lost their data. That's getting into right to liberty under the human rights legislation, and I strongly believe – and will be pleading – genocide.”
“It's an act of genocide, so the Russian Orthodox Church is going to have those cases coming at them on those claims, those actual prosecutions on those subjects,” McCue emphasized.
Earlier, the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine said that in Russia, the religious component is becoming an integral part of the ideological support of Russian troops and the promotion of a narrative that justifies Russia's war against Ukraine. The DPC noted that the activities of church representatives create the image of a “holy war” in the minds of the military and believers and emphasize the spiritual legitimization of hostilities and the moral justification of the war.
In particular, the activities of representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church include the blessing of weapons and military equipment transferred to the military of the aggressor country, as well as the conduct of religious rites in the combat zone. Another component of the Russian Orthodox Church's assistance to the Russian military is humanitarian support for the Russian military, namely the collection and transfer of food, essential foodstuffs, clothing, vehicles, etc.
As reported by Ukrinform, on August 20, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Law “On Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Field of Religious Organizations”, which prohibits the activities of religious organizations associated with the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine. Legislative initiative No. 8371 was adopted by 265 votes of MPs.