Freedom of Religion and Religious Plurality as Undeniable

«Freedom of Religion and Religious Plurality as Undeniable Values and Priorities of the Ukrainian State in a Sphere of Interaction with Religious Organizations: Challenges of the Last Years» Andriy Yurash

Number of religious organizations in Ukraine and its growth since 1991 35709 religious organizations in Ukraine for January 1 st 2016. Comparing to the previous year approx. 1% of growth

General number, forms and types of religious organizations in Ukraine (January 1 st, 2016) n Totally 35709

Number of religious organizations in Ukraine according to the main regions

Religious organizations in Ukraine according to the main religion: religious organizations and percentage from the total number

Christian religious organizations in Ukraine (97. 1% from the total number)

Orthodox religious organizations in Ukraine: main churches (jurisdictions) and number of religious organizations n n n n Other (small) Orthodox jurisdictions: Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (renewed); Russian Orthodox Church Abroad; Old-rite Church (with the own hierarchy – Bilokrynyts’ka tradition); Old-rite Church (without clergy – Bezpopivs’ka tradition); Russian Old-Orthodox Church (Novozybkivs’ka tradition); True Orthodox Church; independent orthodox communities.

Catholic religious organizations in Ukraine: churches, number of religious organizations and their percentage from the total number of religious organizations in the country as well as from the number of the Catholic communities

Protestant religious organizations in Ukraine: main confessions, number of religious organizations and their percentage from the total number of religious organizations in the country as well as from the number of the Protestant communities Other Protestant confessions (denominations): n Small Evangelical denominations (387); n Reformat Church (132); n Lutheran Church (85); n other denominations (several dozens).

Muslim religious organizations in Ukraine: spiritual centers and number of religious organizations Almost all Muslim communities belong to the Sunni Islam. Only 6 communities in Kyiv (less than 3% from the total number of communities) have the Shiite origin.

Jewish religious organizations in Ukraine: spiritual centers and number of religious organizations

Religious organizations in Ukraine in the Regional Dimension Region (oblast’) General number Centers Dioceses Communities Monasteries Educational Institutions Clergy Vinnytsia 2150 - 15 2092 26 5 1392 Volyn’ (Luts’k) 1620 3 7 1573 19 8 1601 Dnipropetrovs’k 1402 5 12 1350 12 8 1292 Donets’k 1808 6 16 1737 11 11 1413 Zhytomyr 1502 1 7 1443 28 7 949 Zakarpattia 1938 3 14 1837 61 6 1998 Zaporizzia 1080 1 10 1043 12 4 1011 Ivano-Frankivs’k 1414 1 10 1331 35 11 1399 Kropyvnyts’kyj 1831 2 7 1773 22 9 1604 Kyiv (oblas’t) 766 1 7 751 4 - 591 Luhans’k 837 - 11 809 6 5 1183 3107 5 24 2963 67 19 2929 760 - 10 739 4 Odesa 1340 3 17 1266 21 11 1088 Poltava 1150 - 11 1125 6 3 887 Rivne 1581 - 7 1528 21 6 1560 Sumy 851 - 6 833 7 2 634 Ternopil’ 1817 - 13 1745 42 11 1393 Kharkiv 959 - 13 918 10 8 2107 Kherson 933 - 9 910 7 1 607 Khmel’nyts’kyj 1940 1 12 1874 25 7 1051 Cherkasy 1392 - 10 1365 7 1 770 Chernivtsi 1324 1 11 1276 21 8 1685 Chernihiv 992 - 8 963 14 3 760 Kyiv (city) 1215 53 25 939 28 44 1412 L’viv Mykolajiv 535

Religious-Confessional Priorities оf the Ukrainian Population in the context of the last nation-wide sociological surveys Survey 1. “Church in Ukraine: Element of Disconnection, Reunion or Peacemaking? ” (25 December, 2014 – 15 January, 2015; 4413 respondents) done by: n International Center of the Prospective Studies; n Democratiс Initiatives Foundation named by Il’ko Kucheriv. Survey 2. “Religious Priorities of the Population of Ukraine” n n (1 -17 February, 2015; 25. 000 respondents – 1. 000 in each oblast) done by: Center for Social and Marketing Investigations SOCIS; Sociological Group “Rating”; Razumkov‘s Center; Kyiv’s International Institute of Sociology. Survey 3. “Religion and Church in the Ukrainian Society: Sociological Investigation” n (25 -30 March, 2016; 2018 respondents) done by: Razumkov‘s Center. Survey 1 Survey 2 Survey 3 Totally Orthodox believers 67% 74% 65% adherents of the UOC KP 44% 38% (from the number of Orthodox) and 25% (from the number of the whole population) adherents of the UOC (under canonical subordination of the MP) 21% 20% (from the number of Orthodox) 23% (from the number of Orthodox) and 15% (from the number of the whole population) adherents of the UAOC 2. 4% 1% (from the number of Orthodox) 3% (from the number of Orthodox) and 2% (from the number of the whole population) just Orthodox (without Jurisdictional affiliation) - 39% 32% UGCC 11% 8% 7% RCC 1% 1% 1% Adherents of the Protestantism 3% 1% 2% Atheists 10% 6% -

Attitude of the Ukrainian Population Toward Believers of Different Orthodox Churches (Jurisdictions) Negative Positive Neutral 37% UOC 7% (schismatic) (Church KP 31% (one of many) Positive than negative in 5. 2 times UOC (MP) 19. 2% (Church of the aggressor country) 10% (the only canonic al) 40% (one of many) Negative than positive in 2 times UGG C 4% (“dried branch”, artificial Uniat creature”) 13% (Church of the Ukr. Nation) 38% (one of many) 14% (the Church of Galician s); positive than negative in 4 times according the sociological survey “Church in Ukraine: Element of disconnection, reunion or peacemaking? ” (25 December, 2014 – 15 January, 2015; 4413 respondents) n n done by: International Center of the Prospective Studies; Democratiс Initiatives Foundation named by Il’ko Kucheriv. of the Ukr. Nation)

Attitude of the Ukrainian Population Toward the Idea of the Only Local Church according the sociological survey “Church in Ukraine: Element of disconnection, reunion or peacemaking? ” (25 December, 2014 – 15 January, 2015; 4413 respondents) n n done by: International Center of the Prospective Studies; Democratiс Initiatives Foundation named by Il’ko Kucheriv. Indifferently 35% Difficult to answer 23%

Statistics concerning a Process of Changing the Jurisdictional Affiliation by Religious Communities in Ukraine (2014 -2016) according to the Regions Region (oblast’) General number Without conflicts Conflicts of Different types Latent form Vinnytsia 2 - - 2 Mykolajiv 0 - - - Volyn’ (Luts’k) 4 - Odesa 0 - - - Dnipropetrovs’k 0 - - - Poltava 8 - Donets’k 1 - Rivne 16 - Zhytomyr 3 - Sumy 7 - Zakarpattia 3 1 2 - Ternopil’ 11 - Kharkiv 4 4 - - Zaporizzia 1 - Kherson 1 - Khmel’nytskyj 2 - Cherkasy 5 1 5 - Chernivtsi 4 - Chernihiv 3 - Kyiv (city) 2 2 - - Ivano-Frankivs’k 21 - Kropyvnyts’kyj 5 - Kyiv (oblas’t) 8 - Luhans’k 0 - - - L’viv 10 -

Statistics Concerning a Process of Changing The Jurisdictional Affiliation by the Religious Communities in Ukraine (2014 -2016) According to Jurisdictional (Confessional) Changes General number Without conflicts Conflicts of different types Latent form UOC – UOC PK 73 - UAOC – UOC KP 30 9 21 - UAOC(s) – UOC KP 1 1 - - UOC KP – UAOC 4 4 - - UOC ROCA – 1 - UAOC(r) – UAOC 9 - UAOC(r)– alternative UAOC(r) 4 - 9 - 4

Advisory bodies in a sphere of providing the freedom of religion at higher executive authorities n Commission for ensuring implementation of rights of religious organizations at the Cabinet of Ministries of Ukraine n Commission for Religious Affairs of the Public Council at the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine

Advisory bodies in a sphere of providing the freedom of religion at higher executive authorities n n Public Council for Cooperation with Churches and Religion Organizations at the Ministry of Education and Science Council for the Pastoral Care at the Ministry of Defense Public Council for Cooperation with Religious Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Public Council for Cooperation with the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations at the Ministry of Health

Inter-Religious and Inter-Confessional Organizations in Ukraine All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations That is the biggest inter-religious organization which represents the most influential institutions in a sphere of state-church relations from a side of the united religious community. n Founded in 1996. n Unites 19 denominations (in fact – 17; after the Russian occupation of Crimea and some regions of Dondas) that represent around 87% of the entire religious network (organizations) in the country.

Inter-Religious and Inter-Confessional Organizations in Ukraine Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine Founded in 2005. n Unites 12 Protestant denominations that represent around 14% of the entire religious network (organizations) in the country and almost 70% of the Protestant organizations. Ukrainian Biblical Society Founded in 1991. n Unites 20 Christian denominations and 1 religious studies scientific institution.

Inter-Religious and Inter-Confessional Organizations in Ukraine All-Ukrainian Inter-Confessional Religious Christian-Military Brotherhood Founded in 2000. n Unites representatives of five the most influential denominations that are the most actively involved into the chaplaincy service. International scientificconference «Military scientific-practical Chaplaincy in Ukraine: Results of the First Stage of Institutionalization (2014 - 2016)» . Ukrainian Inter-Confessional Christian Mission «Spiritual and Charitable Care in Prisons» Founded in 2001. n Unites representatives of 11 Christian denominations.

Mass Violations of Freedom of Conscience and Religion in the Annexed Crimea and Temporary Occupied Territories of Dondas (some parts of Donets’k and Luhans’k regions) (recent information, based mainly on facts from the first half of 2016) Religious organizations, whose rights have been violated at the temporary occupied territories: Cities and places where violations have been stated: Crimea Sepastopol, Simferopol, Bakhchysaray. n n n Donets’k region Donets’k, Starobeshivs’kyj and Novoazovs’kyj districts, Horlivka, Tel’manove, Makaryne, Shachtars’k, Yenakijeve, Zuhres, Zhdanivka. Luhans’k region Pereval’s’k, Brianka, Stakhaniv, Kraskyj Luch, Roven’ky. n n n Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church Organization of Jehovah Witnesses Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-days Saints (Mormons) Ukrainian Christian Evangelical Church Several other Protestant denominations Types of violations: n n n Kidnapping and torture of members of religious communities Seizing of the church buildings Desecration, damage and destruction of religious holy things Arrests and searchers of representatives of religious organizations as well as religious buildings Prohibition of conducting religious activities

Several examples of violations of human rights in a sphere of freedom of religion and conscience on the territories, temporary uncontrolled by the Ukrainian government Church buildings seized by terrorists from so called DNR (Donets’k People Republic) and LNR (Luhans’k People Republic) in 2016 n Horlivka – “Church of Christ”; Church “The New Generation”; Church “Word of Life”; Church of Adventists of the Seventh Day (pastor has been arrested) n n Snizhne - Church “City of Faith” Donets’k - rehabilitation center “Evening Light” (in the process of seizing 29 people have been taking in prison); rehabilitation center “Rock of Salvation”; Donets’k Christian University; Prayer house of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-days Saints, Church of Christ the Savior; Center “Word of Life” n n Torez – Church “Word of Life” Shakhtars’k – Church “Word of Life” (pastor Mykola Kalynychenko has been arrested) n Druzhkivka – Church of Winners (pastor Pavlo Les’ko and his wife have been arrested) n n n Olenivka – church and a house of pastor are seized Roven’ky – Church “Word of Life” Luhans’k – Prayer house of the Union of Churches of Evangelical Christians. Baptists

Several examples of violations of human rights in a sphere of freedom of religion and conscience on the territories, temporary uncontrolled by the Ukrainian government n Terrorists from so called Russian Orthodox Army on Dondas Inscriptions on the emblem and a jacket – “Orthodoxy or Death” and “Life under the Tsar” Pastor of «Assembly of God» church’ Serhiy Kosiak аfter interrogation by the terrorists of so called DPR (Donets’k People Republic)

Several examples of violations of human rights in a sphere of freedom of religion and conscience on the territories, temporary uncontrolled by the Ukrainian government n Three members of the community of Jehovah Witnesses in Donets’k (Pavlo Dmitrijev, Serhij Rakita, and Oleksandr Stadnik) were abducted and detained at January 17 th 2016 directly during meeting of congregation by terrorists from illegal military formations. n Four members of the Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith “Transfiguration of God” in Slovjans’k (two young pastors – Viktor Brodarsky and Volodymyr Velychko - and two sons of the main pastor – Albert and Ruvym Pavenko) were tortured and killed (June 2014) in a time when the city was under the control of separatists and pro-Russian troops.

Several examples of violations of human rights in a sphere of freedom of religion and conscience on the territories, temporary uncontrolled by the Ukrainian government n n Ukrainian religious studies scientists and historian Ihor Kozlovskyj, which had been unable to leave Donets’k because of the necessity to look after seriously ill son, was detained in prison at January 27 th 2016 by terrorists. His apartment was searched and his collection of antiquaries as well as technics was stolen. According to information from his relatives, so called security services of selfproclaimed false Donets’k Republic allege him “incorrect correspondence in the Facebook” and “creating an illegal criminal group”. Before to be experienced in Donbas, whose methods had been applied in Crimea (for example, pro-Ukrainian activist beaten in Crimea; Simferopol, March 2014)

Crimean Tatars under the Russian occupation Kidnapped and missing: n n n n Timur Shaymardanov Seyran Zinedin Islam Dzheparov Dzhevliyet Isliamov Eskender Aspeliamov Useyn Seytnabiyev Ernest Usmanov n Funeral of Reshat Ametov, kidnapped and killed by the pro-Russian so called “Crimean Self-Defense”; March 3 rd 2014

Crimean Tatars under the Russian occupation Persecution of Muslims in the Annexed Crimea n n n n Searches of homes of Muslims Vandalism regarding Muslim religious places (mosques in Saky, Luhove, and Soniachna Dolyna) Threat to old Muslim cemeteries Closing of the Crimean-Tatar TV channel - ATR Searches of madrassas Mass aссusation of imams and teachers of madrassas in keeping the extremist literature Prohibition of entering to Crimea for leaders of Majlis of Crimean Tatars – Mustafa Dzemiliov, Refat Chubarov, etc.