What you can do to help protect religious freedom in Ukraine
HOW TO RAISE AWARENESS
US lawmakers need to understand that freedom of religion in Ukraine is non-negotiable
We are urging all Christians, faith communities, and supporters of religious freedom in the United States and beyond to help show public support for the right of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Our representatives in Congress need to understand that this issue is important to their constituents. If you are interested in helping, please consider taking the following measures listed below.
Step 1: Find out who represents your district in the US House of Representatives and the US Senate using USA.gov.
Step 2: Write an email or (preferably) call your Representative to express your concern over the persecution of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine. A sample message text can be found below.
Step 3: Share links to our white paper and the video on social media, and forward to interested contacts for reference.
Sample Message to Members of Congress
Dear Representative [INSERT NAME],
I am writing to you with regard to my urgent concern over the treatment of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) by the current administration in Kyiv, Ukraine. I am a resident of [INSERT NAME OF HOMETOWN], and a constituent in your district.
As Ukraine is the recipient of billions of dollars of US taxpayer money in military and economic aid to defend itself from Russian aggression, I was shocked and appalled to learn that this same government is abusing its power to seize churches belonging to the UOC, arrest its clergy and members on trumped up charges, and interfere in the free right to worship. These violations of civil and religious freedom rights are detailed in a recent White Paper published by the church’s legal team on SaveTheUOC.com.
In addition to these hostile actions, the Ukrainian parliament is preparing to pass the second reading of the controversial Draft Law 8371, which would pave way for the government to entirely ban this church, despite the organization’s complete separation from the Moscow Patriarch in May 2022, despite the Church’s overwhelming contribution to the war effort, and in violation of numerous international legal commitments.
At every level of engagement with the Ukrainian government, we ask that our Representatives in the House hold Ukraine to account over these violations of rights, make a clear position against Draft Law 8371, and explore the possibility of sanctions or censure of Ukrainian government officials engaged in the violation of religious freedoms.
Sincerely,
[Insert name and signature]