Estonian Supreme Court Rejects Estonian Orthodox Church’s Appeal Over War Support Label

Estonian Orthodox Church and OCP News Service – 19/03/2025

Tallinn- Estonia: The Estonian Supreme Court has dismissed the appeals submitted by the Estonian Orthodox Church  and the Holy Dormition-Pükhtitsa Monastery, upholding the Estonian Parliament’s decision to classify them as supporters of military aggression by the Russian Federation. This ruling confirms the Riigikogu’s resolution from May 2024, which deemed the Moscow Patriarchate complicit in military aggression and extended this designation to its affiliated institutions in Estonia. The church has consistently opposed the war in Ukraine, yet it remains affected by the blanket classification.

In response to the Parliament’s declaration, the Estonian Orthodox Church and Pükhtitsa Monastery challenged the decision in court, arguing that it falsely implicated them in geopolitical conflicts. In September 2024, they filed an appeal with the Tallinn Administrative Court, seeking to have their names removed from the list of organizations accused of supporting military aggression. After both the Administrative and District Courts dismissed their case, the Supreme Court also ruled against them, declining to review their appeal.

The Church maintains that it operates autonomously within the Moscow Patriarchate and that the Parliament’s decision misrepresents its ecclesiastical structure. Furthermore, Church representatives have repeatedly stated their opposition to the war and refrained from any political engagement or propaganda.

The Estonian Orthodox Church’s legal team criticized the Estonian Parliament for making its decision without consulting the Church or monastery, arguing that this denied them the right to a fair hearing. Additionally, they pointed out that the resolution failed to acknowledge the multinational and independent nature of the Russian Orthodox Church, which includes various autonomous entities with differing perspectives.

Following the domestic court rulings, the church and Pükhtitsa Monastery have taken their case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Their complaint challenges the legality of the Estonian Parliament’s actions and raises concerns over religious freedoms and due process violations.

Source: OCP News Service