Religious persecution in the occupied territories of Ukraine is part of a consistent and systematic pattern of repression by Russia.

This is the conclusion of a report by the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), titled “Who Is Your God? Religious Terror in the Temporarily Occupied Territories.”

The report examines the systematic persecution of religious communities, clergy and believers who refuse to submit to Russian political and religious influence or associate themselves with Russia’s anti-Ukrainian propaganda and affiliated religious institutions, particularly the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).

Based on testimonies from 12 victims and 21 eyewitnesses from the Kharkiv, Kherson and Luhansk regions, as well as Crimea, the report documents the monitoring and censorship of religious services, searches and looting of religious property, the seizure or destruction of places of worship, as well as raids, robberies, arbitrary detention, imprisonment, torture, sexual violence and other forms of cruel and inhuman treatment motivated by religious beliefs or perceived opposition to the occupation.

The authors demonstrate that these actions are not a series of isolated incidents but part of a consistent and systematic pattern of repression. The report states that such actions violate Russia’s obligations under international law and constitute serious human rights violations, particularly of the rights to freedom of religion and freedom of expression, affecting both individuals and entire religious communities. In some cases, these acts may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute.

The report aims to give victims a voice and demonstrate how, by persecuting religious communities and their spiritual leaders, Russian occupation forces seek not only to suppress religious freedom but also to undermine social cohesion, Ukrainian identity and resistance to the occupation.