The basic international guarantees of religious freedom are examined in the article, which are declared in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention for the Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. A systematic analysis is done of the compliance of the Constitution of Ukraine and relevant national legislation with universal international acts in terms of ensuring the rights of believers and religious communities. Current problems are generalized in the religious sphere of modern Ukrainian society, which characterized by destructive processes around the unification process of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, interfaith conflicts and violations of religious freedom in the occupied territories. The conclusions and recommendations are analyzed of the UN and the OSCE on the growth of acts of violence, inaction of law enforcement agencies and the adoption of legislation that negatively affected the fundamental freedoms of citizens in Ukraine in the religious sphere. The specifics of the administrative influence of the state in the religious sphere are revealed, the limits of such influence are revealed, which are connected with practical aspects of religious activity, religious relations, creation and functioning of religious organizations, as well as another part of the sphere of religion, which is outside the scope of such influence by the state. Given the multi-ethnicity and poly-confessional Ukrainian society, approaches are outlined to improving the state policy of Ukraine are outlined in the religion sphere in accordance with European principles of worldview tolerance, tolerance of other people’s beliefs and other values ​​and EU neutrality in the religion. In the conditions of aggravation of confessional relations in Ukraine and for the purpose of ordering of religious space, it is proposed to introduce into public administration practice a conceptual model of public administration in the sphere of ensuring religious security.

Key words human rights; international humanitarian standards; freedom of thought and religion; religious conflicts.

References

1. Ministry of Culture of Ukraine (2019), Report on the network of churches and religious organizations in Ukraine, Order of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, Kyiv, Vol. 3, No. 257.
2. Ukraine (2018), On Amendments to Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” Concerning the Name of Religious Organizations (Associations) Included: Law of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Kyiv.
3. Constitutional Court of Ukraine (2019), “Constitutional submissions as of March 21, 2019 under consideration in the Constitutional Court of Ukraine”, available at: www.ccu.gov.ua/novyna/konstytuciyni-podannya-stanom-na-21-bereznya-2019-roku (accessed 29 September 2020).
4. NGO “Human Rights”: a non-governmental organization with a special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (2019), “During the UN Forum on Minorities, issues related to the law on renaming the UOC”, available at: protiktor.com/eng/un-12-minority-session/ (accessed 7 October 2020).
5. Synodal Information and Education Department UOC (2019), “Address of the Head of the UOC Representation to European International Organizations to officials of the UN, OSCE, EU and other countries in connection with the facts of mass human rights violations in Ukraine and the real threat of escalation of religious conflicts”, available at: http://news.church.ua/2019/02/18/zvernennya-golovi-predstavnictva-upc-pri-jevropejskix-mizhnarodnix-organizaciyax-do-oficijnix-osib-oon-obsje-jes-ta- inshix-krajin-u-zvyazku-z-faktami-masovix-porushen-prav-lyudini-v-ukrajini-ta-re / (accessed 29 September 2020).
6. Synodal Information and Education Department UOC (2019), “The head of the UOC affairs called the real figures for the situation around the so-called “Transitions” of parishes in the “PCU””, available at: https://news.church.ua/2019/12/24/keruyuchij-spravami-upc-nazvav-realni-cifri-po-situaciji-navkolo-tz-perexodiv-parafij-v-pcu/ (accessed 29 September 2020).
7. NGO “Human Rights”: a non-governmental organization with a special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (2019), “Representatives of the NGO “Human Rights” during the discussion of the report of the UN High Commissioner in Geneva stated the violation of the rights of members of the UOC”, available at: protiktor.com/%D1%80%D1%83%D1%81/45-un-session-oral-statement/ (accessed 7 October 2020).
8. Institute of Religious Freedom (2018), “Analytical report “Freedom of religion in sight: Russian terror in the occupied territories of Eastern Ukraine”, available at: slideshare.net/DonbassFullAccess/ss-123297600 (accessed 7 September 2020).
9. Kozachenko, O. (2020), “Expansion of violent attacks on magazines and lawyers. The UN published additional information about the adoption of rights and freedoms in Ukraine”, available at: https://babel.ua/news/27056-oon-opublikuvala-dopovid-pro-porushennya-velikoji-kilkisti-svobod-v-ukrajini (accessed 1 September 2020).
10. Lutsenko, V. V. (2017), “Regulatory and legal support of state policy of Ukraine in the field of religion”, Journal of Actual problems of public administration, Vol. 3, pp. 77–81.
11. Druzenko, G. (2000), “Institute of Freedom of Conscience: International Standards and Legislation of Ukraine”, available at: www.academia.edu/8964759/ (accessed 1 September 2020).
12. United Nations Organization (1948), Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Declaration, International document, available at: http://zakon5.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_015 (accessed 1 September 2020).
13. Ukraine (1973), On ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Decree, Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada of the USSR, Kyiv.
14. Council of Europe (1950), Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms: Convention, International document, the Council of Europe. Rome.
15. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (1992), Consolidated Versions of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty of the European Union Functioning, available at: http://zakon3.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/994_b06 (accessed 1 September 2020).
16. Ukraine (1996), Constitution of Ukraine: Law of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Kyiv.
17. Robbers, G. (2009), States and religions in the European Union (the experience of state-confessional relations), Moscow, Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences, UNESCO Shopping Center.
18. Ukraine (1991), On freedom of conscience and religious organizations: Law of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR,