Parliament bans Moscow-affiliated churches in Ukraine
Ukraine's parliament passed a law banning Russian-affiliated religious organizations. The law permits courts to suspend these organizations' activities, giving them nine months to sever ties with Moscow.
On 20 August, the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, approved a second reading of the bill prohibiting the operation of religious organizations affiliated with Russia.
“The activities of religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence of a religious organization (association), whose governing center (administration) is located outside Ukraine in a state that is conducting armed aggression against Ukraine, are not allowed,” the bill reads.
The most notorious Russian-affiliated church in Ukraine is the Moscow Patriarchate’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC MP). Meanwhile, the most popular Orthodox church without Russian links is the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).
The law, supported by 265 parliament members, permits courts to suspend the activities of these organizations if they are found to have ties with Russia, which is currently engaged in armed aggression against Ukraine. 29 MP voted against the bill, 4 abstained, 24 didn’t vote.
According to MPs Yaroslav Zheleznyak (Holos) and Petro Poroshenko (European Solidarity), the law was passed during a session of the Verkhovna Rada.
Representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO) had earlier expressed their support for this legislative initiative, noting its broad political and public backing.
Earlier, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk explained that under the new law, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) will be banned in Ukraine. He also clarified that Ukrainian religious organizations suspected of collaborating with the ROC will be given nine months to sever their ties with Moscow.
Stefanchuk emphasized that expert evaluations will determine whether these organizations are affiliated with the ROC, and if so, their activities may be suspended, though such decisions can be appealed in court.
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