Russia: Ukraine
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports about the treatment of (a) non-Orthodox and (b) minority faith groups in Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation.
Answered by Stephen Doughty
We are deeply disturbed by the impact of Russia's illegal war on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Orthodox Church of Ukraine clergy, Crimean Tatars, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and Protestant Churches suffer repression and physical abuse, including the prohibition of religious literature and arbitrary arrests and detentions. Religious figures are reportedly subjected to torture. Jehovah's Witnesses have been banned altogether. The UK condemns Russia's attempt to destroy Ukraine's religious and belief communities. We engage regularly with Ukrainian religious groups on this issue. In February, a delegation of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches met Parliamentarians and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials to discuss religious persecutions. I was personally appalled to hear and see evidence of Russian actions against the religious communities in Bucha during their earlier occupation when I visited earlier this year and met with local civic and religious leaders.
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