OCM hierarch addresses UN on violations of believers' rights in Moldova

on March 25, 2026, Archbishop Markell of Balti and Falesti, within the framework of the UN General Debate, called on the international community to pay attention to the systematic pressure on the Orthodox Church of Moldova. Vladyka emphasized that the anti-Church rhetoric of Moldovan politicians, who present the Church as a threat to national security, contributes to the atmosphere of intolerance and grossly restricts religious freedom in the country.

According to the information resource “Orthodox Moldova and the World”, in his speech the hierarch pointed to the massive application of administrative liability to believers on charges of “passive electoral corruption”, as well as to the regular checks of clergy when crossing the border. Archbishop Markell expressed particular concern about the threat of 800 churches and monasteries being taken away from the Orthodox Church of Moldova in favor of the “Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia”, which is supported by the authorities and financed from the Romanian budget. As an example of forced transfer of congregations by the authorities, the incident in the village of Derenau was cited, where special forces were used against parishioners to transfer a church. You can read the materials of the speech at the link to the video of the event.

The Archbishop’s speech was supported by a number of international human rights organizations, including Public Advocacy, For Human Rights and Christliche Gesellschaft für Menschenrechte e.V.. Human rights defenders sent appeals to the UN Special Procedures and the Human Rights Committee, describing the situation as an institutionalized policy of discrimination. According to experts, the use of Article 471 of the Contravention Code, restriction of freedom of movement of the Archbishop himself and interference in property rights grossly violate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, undermining the principle of confessional neutrality of the state.

Recall, earlier we reported that the Moldovan government plans to return more than 800 churches with the status of historical monuments to state ownership. This was announced by the Minister of Culture Cristian Jardan, noting that the authorities do not have the ability to manage such a large number of objects, many of which are in a dilapidated state and require significant funds for restoration.