A bill was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada allowing the liquidation through the courts of religious organizations whose representatives commit crimes against the foundations of the national security of Ukraine. The publication “Strana.ua” writes about this.
Reportedly, we are talking about the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: “War propaganda”, “Inciting interreligious hatred”, “Terrorism”, “Planning, preparation, release and conduct of an aggressive war”, “Violation of the rules of law”. laws and customs of war”, “Genocide” and “Mercenary Service”.
“Strana.ua” notes that the bill aims to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), against whose priests the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) regularly initiates criminal cases under these articles.
According to the Ukrainian publication Glavkom, the bill was registered by Nikita Poturaev, chairman of the Committee on Humanitarian Aid and Information Policy of the Verkhovna Rada. SBU recommended the adoption of such a document; the head of this department, Vasily Malyuk, sent a corresponding appeal to the deputies.
Before reportedSince February 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine has opened 68 criminal cases against UOC clergy, including on charges of cooperation with the Russian Federation.
Recently, Ukrainian authorities have begun mass closures of churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, imposing sanctions and filing charges against clergy, citing the UOC’s connection with Russia. Local governments in different regions of Ukraine decided to completely ban the activities of the UOC, and a bill was submitted to the Ukrainian parliament to effectively ban it throughout the country.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk expressed his doubtsIf the relevant issue is put to vote, 226 votes will be required in the parliament to ban the activities of the UOC.
Sergei Naryshkin, formerly head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) statedThat the canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine was physically destroyed.