OSCE Criticizes Restriction of Freedom of Believers in Ukraine

In a report at the Review Conference of OSCE, which was held in Warsaw from September 30 to October 8, the American delegation expressed criticism of the Ukrainian authorities.

According to a representative of the US State Department, Thomas Melia, the Ukrainian authorities obstruct or prohibit the movement and assembly of the citizens intending to participate in oppositional protests. As an example, the official mentioned the obstruction by the traffic police of the pilgrimage trips of the believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate on the Day of Baptism of Kyivan Rus on July 28, 2010.

According to Unian.net, Thomas Melia noted that all this resembles the time before the Orange Revolution. He stressed in the report that "in the last few months, Ukraine stopped observing the standards of OSCE regarding the freedom of assembly and movement."