Special Roundtable in Washington DC

This week Mission Eurasia hosted a roundtable/consultation on religious persecution in occupied territories of Ukraine in partnership with the International Religious Freedom Roundtable (USA). The roundtable took place in Washington D.C. in conjunction with the National Prayer Breakfast.
The goal of the roundtable was to raise awareness about increasing religious persecution in Eastern Ukraine, and to mobilize Congressmen and the global Christian community to support and advocate on behalf of those who are suffering for their faith in Eastern Ukraine.

Special reports were presented by evangelical leaders from Kiev and eastern Ukraine as well as other experts. Attendees included U.S. government departments and committees such as the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Congressional Committee on Foreign Relations, the Helsinki Committee, the Senate Human Rights Caucus, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, the USCIRF, the U.S. Department of State, and the International Religious Freedom Caucus and numerous NGOs. Office of Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ) sponsored this event.

"In the broader context of discussions, the talk is not so much about the conflict between Ukraine and Russia but also about conflict between Eurasia and Europe, Russia and the West, the orthodox "Russian world" and "secularized Protestant-Catholic civilization," universal human rights and "orthodox" values, between freedom and "traditional order." - stated Dr. Michael Cherenkov, the VP of Association of the Spiritual Renewal, Kiev.

"Separatists began to pick out church buildings and intimidate believers in Slavyansk, while it was under their control. One day they forced their way into our building, had everyone lie on the floor, including women and children, and searched the whole facility attempting to find some damaging information. After some time, our church building, rehabilitation center and the building housing the orphans were confiscated and turned into military facilities. In the same way, the premises of other religious communities in the city were confiscated. Bishop Alexey Demidovich was arrested as well as employees and ministers at the Church of the Transfiguration. They released the employees after torturing them, but four ministers were executed. Evangelicals, faced with threat of persecution, began to flee the city. Many churches began to hold underground services." - shared pastor of the Good News Church from Slavyansk, Peter Dudnik.

At the end of the discussion it was decided to create a coalition of NGOs and a working group that would continue gathering information about persecution and mobilize governments and people of good will all over the world to practically help those who suffering for their faith. The first meeting of the working group will take place at the end of February.