Chairman of the AUCCRO: There are no religious persecutions in Ukraine during the war

The chairman of the AUCCRO, Bishop of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church Vyacheslav Gorpinchuk, said that “there are no persecutions on religious grounds during the war in Ukraine.” This is reported by the website of the organization.

The position of religious communities under the conditions of Russian aggression was discussed during a meeting of members of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations with a delegation of the World Council of Churches, which arrived in Kiev headed by Rev. Dr. Jerry Pillay, Secretary General of the WCC.

“In Ukraine, freedom of religion is respected and there is no religious persecution during the war. But the situation of believers in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia as a result of armed aggression remains extremely dangerous. Terror of the civilian population, especially religious figures, is a common tactic of intimidation and submission to the Russian occupation authorities We hope that the voice of the WCC will also be heard in the world in defense of believers who suffer daily because of the presence of Russian occupiers on Ukrainian soil,” Vyacheslav Gorpinchuk said.

He also added that “despite the martial law, the Ukrainian government ensures a high level of religious freedom, which is also facilitated by the judicial system.”