DESS accuses UOC of abuse of justice and discusses reform of church-state relations

on March 11, 2026, a meeting of the DESS Expert Council on Freedom of Conscience was held to discuss lawsuits against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) and the prospects for reforming church-state relations. The central topic was the case of the termination of the activities of the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC and the Korean Holy Trinity Stavropegic Convent.

According to the agency’s website, DESS lawyers informed the participants about the current status of the lawsuits, which caused dissatisfaction among the “experts.” The council members stated that there were “obvious signs of abuse of justice” in the actions of representatives of the Kyiv Metropolis. In their opinion, the UOC is trying to “delay the consideration of cases and prevent their consideration on the merits.”

In addition to litigation, the participants of the meeting presented their vision of a new model of interaction between the state and religious organizations. It was proposed to return to the Concept of 2003-2004 to establish a “clear regulatory framework” for the church in such areas as the care of military personnel and social service. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of “preserving the secularism of the state” and supporting “decentralized and independent communities” that do not have a rigid hierarchy.

Earlier, the head of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Klyment (Vecheria) , said that the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) continues to ignore the official statements of the UOC about the severance of relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. The hierarch claims that the relevant decision was made back in 2022 at the Council in Feofaniya, but the State Service was not satisfied with these decisions.