UN Press Release regarding the Persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC)
- JPTi
- Oct 3
- 2 min read
JPTi welcomes and commends the recent statement by the United Nations Human Rights Council-appointed experts, known as the UN Special Procedures Mandate Holders, regarding the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as shared by @UNGeneva on 2 October 2025.
“Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is non-derogable, even in times of armed conflict,” the experts affirmed, recalling Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and General Comment No. 22. “Furthermore, national security is not grounds for limiting manifestation of this freedom.”
Among the signatories, we note with appreciation:
- George Katrougalos, UN Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order;
- Nicolas Levrat, UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues;
- Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief;
- Ben Saul, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism;
- Gina Romero, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
This development follows from our intervention: on 11 February 2025, JPTi submitted a complaint documenting systematic persecution — including arbitrary arrests of clergy, unlawful seizures of religious properties, and criminalization of Christian liturgical practices under “national security” pretexts. On 14 May 2025, the official communication was transmitted by seven UN Rapporteurs (AL UKR 1/2025) to the Government of Ukraine.
In parallel, on 30 August 2025, JPTi transmitted its Briefing Note on the Systematic, Ongoing, and Egregious Persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), calling on USCIRF to act decisively by convening hearings on Ukraine’s Law No. 8371 and to urge the designation of Ukraine as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
JPTi extends special thanks to Tucker Carlson and Robert Amsterdam for their commitment to raising international awareness of the persecution of Christians and for amplifying the plight of Christians, including those belonging to the Eastern Orthodox Church, facing systemic repression.
Our action, which prompted this UN Statement, underscores JPTi commitment to defending Article 18 ICCPR and protecting Christians facing persecution and repression.
📖 Full details of previous relevant JPTi Statements: https://www.jpti.ch/post/un-acts-on-jpti-complaint-in-the-case-of-the-ukrainian-orthodox-church-uoc
📌 UN Statement: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/10/ukraine-un-experts-warn-persecution-against-ukrainian-orthodox-church
📎 Original UN Geneva X post: https://x.com/UNGeneva/status/1973655279645630947