Zelensky revoked citizenship from Onupriy. Lawyers explained the consequences for the metropolitan

Legal restrictions for Metropolitan Onupriy

The 80-year-old head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Onupriy, having lost his Ukrainian citizenship, finds himself in a difficult situation. According to human rights defenders, he loses all the rights he had as a citizen of Ukraine. If it turns out that he does not have Russian citizenship and a Russian passport, he may become stateless, which would violate his constitutional rights.

According to lawyers, the cessation of citizenship for Metropolitan Onupriy may contradict international conventions ratified by Ukraine. It is important to note that he did not obtain citizenship by presidential decree. Other lawyers argue that the presence of another citizenship for Metropolitan Onupriy has not been confirmed by a court decision.

«It should also be noted that the state may violate international convention agreements. Namely - Article 7 of the European Convention on Nationality, which states that a member state cannot provide in its domestic law for loss of nationality ex lege or at the initiative of the member state itself, and Article 8 of the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which states that a contracting state shall not deprive a person of their nationality if such deprivation would render that person stateless,» said the lawyer.

Research on Citizenship

It is also worth noting that an official document confirming the presence of a Russian passport for Metropolitan Onupriy has been received from the Russian Federation. Journalists previously released an investigation into the presence of Russian passports among clergy of the UOC MP of the former Moscow Patriarchate.

After Metropolitan Onupriy, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, lost his Ukrainian citizenship, his future has become burdensome due to legal complexities and possible violations of international conventions. The metropolitan faces the threat of statelessness, which not only limits his rights but also contradicts constitutional principles. The investigation into the presence of a Russian passport adds intrigue to this situation.