Public-law mechanisms for protecting freedom of conscience in the context of interfaith conflicts

this article provides a comprehensive analysis of public-law mechanisms that ensure the protection of freedom of conscience in the context of interfaith conflicts. The aim of the research is to identify and systematize these mechanisms, as well as to analyze their application and deformation in conditions of actual interfaith confrontation. The situation with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) is considered as a key case study. The paper explores the nature of ethno-religious extremism as a threat to national security and defines the constitutional limits of the realization of freedom of conscience. The results are presented as a systematization of protection and restriction mechanisms, which allows for a clear comparison of theoretical models with practice. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using the developed classification to assess the compliance of state policy in the religious sphere with international standards, as well as to develop balanced strategies for countering extremism and protecting the rights of religious minorities.

freedom of conscience, religious security, religious extremism, public-law restrictions, state sovereignty, traditional values, interfaith conflicts, Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC)