IN OCCUPIED CRIMEA RUSSIA RESTRICTS MISSIONARY ACTIVITY—DZHAPAROVA
In occupied Crimea, Russia creates artificial impediments in the activity of any religious community if it does not belong to the Orthodox church of the Moscow patriarchate. This was declared by Emine Dzhaparova, the first deputy minister of foreign affairs of Ukraine, in the context of a Forum of the International Alliance on matters of freedom of religions and religious confessions, UA reports.
She emphasized that the Crimean Tatars are the most persecuted religious community in occupied Crimea. More than 120 persons are being held behind bars on the basis of fabricated criminal cases.
"On the occupied territories of Ukraine, Russia restricts missionary activity under the pretext of a struggle with so-called extremism. The Russian Federation tries to halt the activity of all pro-Ukrainian organizations in occupied Crimea. In particular, that of religious communities of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and Crimean Tatar Muslims. Of 49 religious communities that were active in Crimea at the start of 2014, now only five are active," Dzhaparova said. (tr. by PDS, posted 24 November 2021)
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