UPDATED: Government proposes to ban activities of religious organisations associated with russia – draft law
The powers of the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience will be expanded
UPDATED
At 1:45 p.m., the text of the bill was added:
"The activity of a religious organisation may be terminated in court by an administrative claim of the central executive body that implements state policy in the field of religion (State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience – Mind ed.) or the prosecutor," the explanatory memorandum says.
The document proposes to expand the powers of the State Service. In particular, to allow religious expertise of the activities of religious organisations to identify subordination in canonical and organisational matters to the centres of influence of a religious organisation whose governing center is located outside Ukraine in a state that carries out armed aggression against Ukraine. If such an inspection reveals violations, the Service must issue an order to eliminate them within a month. In case of failure to comply with the terms of the order within the established timeframe, the State Service for Ethnic Policy is obliged to apply to the court.
What happened? The Cabinet of Ministers has registered in parliament draft law No. 8371 on the activities of religious organisations in Ukraine.
Source. Taras Melnychuk, the representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada.
Details. "The bill is aimed at ensuring spiritual independence, preventing a split in society on religious grounds, promoting the consolidation of Ukrainian society, and protecting national interests," Mr. Melnychuk writes.
According to him, the document amends the legislation, which makes it impossible for religious organisations, whose governing center (management) is located outside Ukraine in a state that carries out armed aggression against Ukraine, to operate in Ukraine.
The draft law is registered on the parliament's website, but the text is not yet available.
Earlier, the SBU conducted searches in a number of dioceses of the UOC-MP. Law enforcement officers found and seized numerous libraries with pro-kremlin literature, campaign leaflets of political parties banned in Ukraine, and russian symbols.
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