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Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
Avgust
12, 2005
SCOBA
CONDEMNS IMPRISONMENT OF ARCHBISHOP JOVAN BY FYROM AND ASKS
FOR HIS RELEASE
 New
York - The Hierarchs of the Standing Conference of Canonical
Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) have declared unanimously
their outrage concerning the imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan
of Ochrid by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
"With
this imprisonment," they declared, "the right of
freedom of thought and belief has been denied and trampled
upon by the state authorities of FYROM."
"That
a recognized, canonical Orthodox Christian hierarch can be
sentenced to a year and a half prison term for fulfilling his
religious responsibilities is simply beyond our comprehension," the
hierarchs stated.
"To
seek to impose upon all the people of FYROM one religious organization,
abrogates the universal values of civilized nations and denies
respect for the right of free choice of belief and opinion."
"We
are saddened by this denial of what all civilized nations have
declared is one of the basic human rights. Reports concerning
treatment by the police during the arrest of the Archbishop
are also very disturbing," they noted.
"We
join the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church in demanding
the release of Archbishop Jovan of Ochrid. His imprisonment
is an offense to all democratic societies and to all institutions
and organizations dedicated to the protection and preservation
of human rights."
"We
ask the government of FYROM to correct this injustice and to
free Archbishop Jovan without delay. Furthermore, we call upon
our government to intercede and implement appropriate measures
to hasten this process."
Archbishop Demetrios, Chairman, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America
Metropolitan Herman,Orthodox Church in America
Metropolitan Philip, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese
of North America
Metropolitan Christopher, Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA
and Canada
Archbishop Nicolae, Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America & Canada
Metropolitan Joseph, Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church
Metropolitan Nicholas of Amissos, Carpatho Russian Orthodox Diocese
in the USA
Metropolitan Constantine of Irinoupolis, Ukrainian Orthodox Church
of the USA
Bishop Ilia of Philomelion, Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America
[Serbian
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