Human Right Campaigners Call on President to Protect Religious Freedom

Human right campaigners, public organizations and scholars sent an open letter to President Yanukovych with a call to prevent restriction of the freedom of worship in Ukraine. They called on the president to use his right of veto with respect to Bill 10221 and return it to the Supreme Council for further elaboration to ensure that the expert opinion and proposals of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations are taken into account, the Institute for Religious Freedom (ІRF) reported.

“The passed law envisages making substantial alterations to the Law of Ukraine 'On freedom of conscience and religious organizations' to which the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Reigious Organizations objected. … Despite this fact, during consideration thereof in the second reading, Bill 10221 was hastily voted for without any discussion and without a table of amendments for the second reading expected from the Profile Committee,” reads the open letter.

In particular, the letter was signed by the President of the Institute of Religion and Society of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) Mr. Myroslav Marynovych, Director of the Religious Information Service (RISU) Taras Antoshevskyi, Executive Director of the Institute for Religious Freedom Maksym Vasin, and many others.

The letter is open to signing by representatives of public organizations, scholarly institutions, experts and public figures. Please send your letters in support of the open letter to [email protected].