The head of the DESS acknowledged the possibility of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church winning its case at the European Court of Human Rights

The head of Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), Viktor Yelensky, acknowledged that there is a risk the state could lose in international courts if the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) appeals to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

According to Viktor Yelensky, once all domestic legal remedies in Ukraine have been exhausted, representatives of the UOC will have the legal right to file an international appeal against the ban on their activities. The head of the DESS noted that the outcome of a potential legal proceeding in Strasbourg will depend directly on how the country’s authorities implement the legal provisions governing the activities of religious organizations.

The official emphasized that European judges may rule in favor of the religious organization if they find that the Ukrainian state’s actions violate the article on freedom of conscience. Under current circumstances, legal experts view this as a highly likely scenario, requiring a cautious approach to the enforcement of the adopted legislation. It was also reported earlier that the UOC is already taking legal action, in particular by challenging in court the decisions of regional authorities, such as the Kyiv Regional Council.