Russians in ORDLO eradicate all forms of religion except the Moscow Patriarchate, - Denisova

This was stated by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for human rights Lyudmila Denisova during an online presentation by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine of a new report on the human rights situation in Ukraine for the period from February 16 to July 31, 2020, reports Ukrinform.

"The occupation administrations of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions systematically implement and finance measures to strengthen the militarization of children. The so-called paratrooper patriotic club "Panther" provides military education for children and youth aged 5 to 20 years in the temporarily occupied territory of the Luhansk region. In June-July, the first and second shifts of the military-patriotic "St.George's fees" were held," Denisova said.

The Commissioner clarified that this issue was raised by him during a meeting with Deputy Prosecutor General Gunduz Mammadov, which resulted in an agreement to exchange information on human rights violations.

Also, representatives of the Russian occupation administrations in ORLO banned schoolchildren from wearing religious clothing and religious attributes.

"Thus, measures are being taken to eradicate other forms of religion, except for the Orthodox, of course, the Moscow Patriarchate, which is a violation of the right to freedom of religion. In places of deprivation of liberty in the territories of the temporarily occupied Luhansk region, it is prohibited to practise other religions and denominations, in particular Islam and Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea," Denisova said.

The Ombudsman also reported that the occupation administrations of the Russian Federation in ORDLO are taking measures to eliminate the Ukrainian language in schools.

"Due to the changes made to the so-called Constitution and the law "On Education" of the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic", which determined that the only state language in the territory of the temporarily occupied Luhansk region is Russian, Ukrainian language and literature were excluded from the basic part of the plans of general education institutions for the 2020-2021 academic year. The study of the Ukrainian language in schools is possible only optional," said Denisova.

She added that due to the activities of the occupation administrations of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk and Donetsk regions, since the closure of mines, gas explosions have become more frequent, since water from abandoned mines is not pumped out, methane gas comes to the surface and accumulates in the cellars and basements of residential premises, which is a threat to human life and health.

"As for the protection of the population affected by the armed conflict, unfortunately, in the seventh year of the armed aggression, there is no information about the number of families in need of housing. In the near future, a special report of the Commissioner will be presented, which will set out all the problematic issues faced by IDPs in the implementation of their right to housing," the Ombudsman stressed.

Russian regular troops and Russian-controlled militants occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine in the spring of 2014.

The UN human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine recorded the death of 3,367 civilians and injuries of 7,000 people since the beginning of the Russian aggression in the Donbas.