Bob Amsterdam reacted to the searches and detention of Orthodox media personnel

The head of the international human rights company Amsterdam & Partners LLP, Robert Amsterdam, who represents the legal interests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, reacted to the searches and detentions of employees of the Union of Orthodox Journalists and the First Cossack. The human rights activist noted that the actions of the Security Service of Ukraine are an element of intimidation. This is reported in a press release of the Save the UOC website.

“Undoubtedly, these raids, arrests and threats against media representatives were coordinated to generate enthusiasm for the recently revised bill No. 8371 on banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Judging from the information provided by our sources, these secret police raids are not based on evidence. They were orchestrated by the SSU to stir up fear and hostility and further divide a country at war, and should be condemned by international press freedom organizations”, – the UOC lawyer said.

Robert Amsterdam also added that “will submit letters to numerous organizations and government bodies demanding to condemn this information attack, as well as to initiate consideration of sanctions against individual members of the Rada involved in the violation of religious freedoms, including the speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk”.

We shall remind you that on March 12, after conducting “measures” against representatives of the Orthodox media, the Security Service of Ukraine commented on the searches of the employees of the Union of Orthodox Journalists and the First Cossack. The agency claims that “FSB agents” were neutralized during the searches, and the defendants in the case face life imprisonment.