Ukraine: Treatment of Baptists by the UNA-UNSO organization and available police protection; whether an attack on an Evangelical Baptist Church congregation took place in May 2000 in Vyktoriv, Halych District, Ukraine
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 24 July 2002 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | UKR39279.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ukraine: Treatment of Baptists by the UNA-UNSO organization and available police protection; whether an attack on an Evangelical Baptist Church congregation took place in May 2000 in Vyktoriv, Halych District, Ukraine, 24 July 2002, UKR39279.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4e2f11.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) statistics for 2000, the Union of Evangelical Christian Baptists of the Ukraine has 2,435 churches and 137,386 members whereas the Brotherhood of Christians-Baptists of the Ukraine has 98 churches with 9,950 members (5 Apr. 2002). These numbers, however, reflect only those conventions/unions affiliated with the BWA, and ignore independent Baptist churches (Adherents.com 4 Nov. 2000). According to 2002 official government statistics, the All-Ukrainian Union of the Association of Evangelical Baptists (AUU AEB) united 2113 registered and 81 unregistered communities, 1474 churches and 74 missions and while those listed as "Other Baptists" included 269 registered and 39 unregistered communities, 125 churches and 16 missions in Ukraine (RISU 1 Jan. 2002). The AUU AEB is an organization "composed of Baptist churches from 25 regions of Ukraine" (ibid. n.d.).
The Research Directorate was unable to find references to the treatment of Baptists by the UNO-UNSO organization among sources consulted for this Response. For general information concerning the treatment of Baptists in the Ukraine between 1993 and September 2000, please consult UKR35293.E of 12 September 2000.
A recent report published by the European Baptist Federation described Baptists' experience in Ukraine to be "one of continuous rapid growth" and quoted the President of the Evangelical Christian Baptists in Ukraine as saying that the state was "very open for evangelism" (BWA 27 Feb. 2002). A passing reference in a 2001 Keston News Service article noted that an "intolerant ... attitude has been shown towards Protestant communities [in Sevastopol] connected with ... American Baptist preachers who were expelled ... in 2000 (6 July 2001). It was also reported that "[a] spate of arson attacks on a newly built Baptist church in ... Sumy" took place between December 1999 and February 2000 (Compass Direct 18 Feb. 2000).
The Research Directorate was unable to find report of, or reference to, an incident involving an attack on a congregation of Evangelical Baptists travelling through the village of Vyktoriv, Halych District in May 2000.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Adherents.com. 4 November 2000. "Religion by Location." Baptist World Alliance (BWA). 5 April 2002. "BWA Statistics." _____ . 27 February 2002. "Growth Continues in Ukraine." Published by the European Baptist Federation (EBF) [Sofia] European Baptist Press Service Bulletin 3. Compass Direct [Santa Ana, Calif.]. 18 February 2000. Felix Corley. "Mysterious Attacks on Ukrainian Baptist Church." Hosted by the Russian Intercessory Prayer Network. Keston News Service (KNS). 6 July 2001. Anna Vassilyeva. "Ukraine: Still No Return of Sevastopol Catholic Church." Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU). 1 January 2002. "Religious Organizations in Ukraine as of 1 January 2002" _____. n.d. "All-Ukrainian Union of the Association of Evangelical Baptists." Additional Sources Consulted
IRB Databases
NEXIS
Unsuccessful attempt to contact the Kiev Theological Seminary
Internet sites including:
Amnesty International
Associated Baptist Press
Baptist World Alliance
Baptist Press
Center for Religious Freedom, a division of Freedom House
Christianity Today
European Country of Origin Information Network
Google
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Without Frontiers
International Christian Concern
International Coalition for Religious Freedom
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
Kiev Theological Seminary
RFE/RL
Religious Information Service of Ukraine
Relief Web
Russian Intercessory Prayer Network
United Kingdom (UK). United Kingdom Immigration and Nationality Directorate. April 2001. Ukraine Assessment
Annual Report on International Religious Freedom 2001. United States, Department of State.
World Baptist Alliance
World News Connection