Independent UN experts have expressed serious concerns over recent actions by the Estonian government against the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (EOCMP), warning that these measures could violate religious freedom and the rights of national minorities. The warning, issued in a press release on December 15, highlights the risk of restricting religious rights and undermining the church's status, particularly for Estonia's significant Russian-speaking population.

According to the UN experts, changes to Estonia’s Church and Congregation Law, a May 2025 court ruling, and public statements by government officials casting doubt on the EOCMP’s canonical legitimacy pose a serious threat to religious freedom. The document stresses that these actions primarily affect the EOCMP, which is the largest Christian denomination in the country and represents a large portion of Estonia's Russian-speaking community.

The UN noted a series of administrative steps taken by Estonian authorities, including halting state funding, excluding the church from key consultations, imposing restrictions on residency permits for clergy, terminating long-term church property leases in Tallinn, raising insurance premiums for the Pühtitsa Monastery, and effectively expelling senior church officials without sufficient legal guarantees.

Experts emphasized that “canonical identity, church hierarchy, and spiritual allegiance are integral to the freedom of religion and are fully protected by international law." They further warned that national security concerns cannot justify any limitations on religious freedoms.

The UN experts also praised the decision of Estonian President Alar Karis to refuse to sign amendments to the law and send them to the Supreme Court for a constitutional review. They called on the Estonian government to suspend all administrative and legal actions against the EOCMP until the constitutional review is completed and urged the authorities to begin a dialogue with religious and ethnic communities.

The statement was signed by UN Independent Expert George Katrougalos, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief Nazila Ghanea, and Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Nicolás Levra.