"Public Advocacy“, a human rights organization in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, together with other partners of the international human rights alliance “Church Against Xenophobia and Discrimination”, will conduct an in-depth analysis of the observance of rights and freedoms in Estonia with a focus on the observance of the rights of believers of the Estonian Orthodox Church.

The first step in this direction is the speech of Bishop of Tartu EOC  Daniel (Lepisk) at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which is being held in Geneva in March 2025. 

Bishop Daniel, in particular, spoke about the tense relations between the EOC and the Estonian authorities in connection with attempts to adopt a law in Estonia that prohibits canonical relations with religious centers in the Russian Federation and establishes the collective responsibility of EOC´s believers for the actions of religious leaders in other countries: “The Estonian parliament is currently considering a law that prohibits us from having any ties with a religious center in the Russian Federation. However, we cannot abandon the canonical connection, as it is part of our faith. The law contains provisions that make the Estonian Orthodox Church responsible for the actions of religious leaders in another country.  But this contradicts the legal principle of individual responsibility. We believe that the actions of the Estonian authorities are contrary to international law and can lead to serious consequences, such as the formation of hatred in society and human rights violations...”

Thus, we once again see attempts by another state to interfere with religious freedoms and resolve the issue of canonical ties contrary to the will of the faithful.

The issues of the Estonian Orthodox Church will be presented at the international level through human rights organizations in the format of individual complaints within the UN Special Procedures, written statements, and oral presentations during the regular sessions of the UN Human Rights Council, in the procedures of the UN Universal Periodic Review of the State of Estonia, in communication with UN Special Rapporteurs and in the EU structures authorized to consider human rights violations.

Link to the news about the speech of Bishop Daniel of Tartu at the UN on the website of the Estonian Orthodox Church.

Video record of the statement below: