Ukrainian scholar Ihor Kozlovskyi passed away

On the night of September 6, the heart of Ihor Kozlovskyi, Ukrainian scholar, expert in religious studies, PhD in history, writer, poet, civic activist and member of the Executive Board of PEN Ukraine, stopped beating.

This information came from his colleague Liudmyla Fylypovych, a fellow of the H. S. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Ihor Kozlovskyi was born on February 16, 1954, in the town of Makiivka in the Donetsk region. He was an internationally renowned activist and expert in religious studies, author of more than 50 scientific books, over 200 entries in dictionaries and encyclopedias, articles in scientific periodicals, as well as poetry collections and prose works.

He was a permanent participant of the Euromaidan and Interconfessional Prayer Marathon for the Unity of Ukraine (Donetsk, March-November 2014). On January 27, 2016, Ihor Kozlovskyy was captured by the militants of the so-called "People’s Republic of Donetsk" and had been tortured in captivity. He had been held captive for 700 days and was released on December 27, 2017, on the basis of a prisoners’ exchange.

He actively agitated for release of the political prisoners in Russia and the occupied territories of the Donbas and Crimea.

Ihor Kozlovskyi headed the Center of Religious Studies, was a full member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society in Ukraine (Donetsk branch), senior fellow of the Religious Studies Department of the H. S. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, leader of the Donetsk Regional Department of the Ukrainian Religious Scholars Association, president of the Center Discovery NGO, vice-president of the Ukrainian Center of Islamic Studies, and member of the December 1 Initiative Group.

He had a range of awards from various Ukrainian and foreign NGOs and religious organizations, including particularly the Medal from the Albert Schweitzer Society (Austria) and the Knight’s Order of the Royal Fraternity of St. Feotonia (Portugal) for his peacekeeping activities.

Ihor Kozlovskyi’s cause of death has been confirmed as heart attack. We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends.