Supreme Court to consider issue of illegal transfers of UOC parishes to OCU

The Supreme Court of Ukraine. Photo: pravo.ua

The Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court will consider key issues related to the illegal transfers of UOC communities. This was announced on March 26, 2024, by the UOC lawyer, Father Nikita Chekman, on the NGO Public Advocacy YouTube channel.

The lawyer spoke about the mass violation of the rights of UOC religious communities during the so-called "votes" for "transition" to the OCU by people who have no relation to the communities at all. He mentioned illegal re-registrations by local authorities based on the protocols of such territorial communities' meetings and subsequent seizures of UOC temples by representatives of the OCU.

Fr. Nikita stated that a session of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court would soon take place, during which UOC lawyers would raise several key issues regarding this matter.

Among these issues, he mentioned: who is considered a member of the community if fixed membership is not clearly provided for in the statute; which rights of the rector are violated during the voting of territorial, rather than religious communities, and so on.

"We hope that the Grand Chamber will objectively consider this case and draw objective conclusions. Based on their findings, subsequent legal practice will be formed to protect the rights of such re-registered communities," the lawyer said.

The priest asked for prayers for the lawyers participating in this process.

As reported by the UOJ, UOC lawyers recorded video evidence for international organizations.

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