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Russian Church blasts deprivation of citizenship of Ukrainian clergy as mass repression

"The proscription lists of the Ukrainian episcopate and clergy are being accepted by the Ukrainian National Defense and Security Council without a judicial and investigative procedure and without an option to appeal this decision," head of Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Anthony said

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/. The deprivation of citizenship of representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) and the sanctions, imposed against the UOC clergy is a form of mass political repressions, which contradicts the Constitution of Ukraine, head of Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Anthony said during the UN Security Council meeting on the situation around UOC.

"The proscription lists of the Ukrainian episcopate and clergy are being accepted by the Ukrainian National Defense and Security Council without a judicial and investigative procedure and without an option to appeal this decision. The so-called sanctions and deprivation of citizenship are being applied against clergymen of one specific confession exclusively, while Article 24 of the Ukrainian Constitution directly prohibits privileges or restrictions to Ukrainian citizens based on their religious beliefs. Therefore, the deprivation of citizenship of Ukrainian religions figures is a form of mass political repressions that violate the Ukrainian Constitution and international agreements, adopted by this state," the Metropolitan said.

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