Elensky: Freedom of conscience in Ukraine is not restricted, even during wartime

Viktor Yelensky, head of Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), clarified the limits of religious rights under martial law, particularly with regard to religious processions. He emphasized that freedom of conscience is a value guaranteed by the Constitution that cannot be restricted even during wartime, unlike freedom of assembly or speech. He spoke about this in an interview with the “ Suspilne.”

According to the official, religious processions and other public events may be held provided that participants do not violate applicable laws and wartime regulations. Yelensky noted that he cannot judge whether believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who participated in the religious procession from the Volyn region to the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra violated any laws.

“Religious processions and all manner of other events may be restricted only by decrees or regulations in effect during wartime. Freedom of conscience in Ukraine is not restricted even during wartime. Freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, for example, may be restricted, but Article 35 of the Constitution of Ukraine—which guarantees freedom of conscience to everyone in Ukraine—remains in full force. Consequently, if people do not violate the regulations, rules, and laws in effect during wartime, then they are free to do so. I cannot say at this time whether this religious procession violated such regulations,” — noted the head of the DESS.

As a reminder, we previously reported that the executive committee of the Demidivka town council in the Rivne region had decided to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s religious procession. The authorities justified this measure by citing the need to ensure the safety of citizens under the legal regime of martial law.