It is known how DESS will define religious community's affiliation with RF

Viktor Yelensky. Photo: ukrinform.ua

On August 20, the Verkhovna Rada adopted bill 8371, aimed at banning the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). It is provided that proving the connection of a religious community with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and banning it through the courts can be done for several reasons:

1. The religious organization committing actions that are deemed unacceptable under Articles 3, 5, and 17 of this Law.
2. The combination of religious or preaching activities of the religious organization with encroachment on life, health, freedom, and dignity of individuals.
3. Systematic violation by the religious organization of the legally established procedure for holding public religious events.
4. Encouraging citizens to fail to fulfill their constitutional duties or actions accompanied by gross violations of public order.
5. The conviction of its authorized representatives for committing crimes against the national security of Ukraine or for committing criminal offenses under Articles 161, 190, 209, 258-258-6, 436-438, 442, 447 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (these articles cover violations of equality of citizens, including based on religious beliefs, fraud, legalization of property obtained illegally, terrorism, propaganda of war, denial of Russian armed aggression, genocide, and mercenarism; these are the articles under which cases against UOC hierarchs are currently being initiated – Ed.).
6. Failure to comply with an order to eliminate violations.
7. The identification of repeated instances of using a religious organization for the purpose of spreading the ideology of the "Russian world."
8. The identification of violations regarding the creation and activities of a religious organization, whose governing center is located outside Ukraine in a state that has carried out armed aggression against Ukraine.

It is reported that the State Service of Ukrainefor Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) will be responsible for conducting investigations to ban a religious community.

As the Union of Orthodox Journalists previously reported, the Main Scientific and Expert Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stated that law 8371 lacks legal certainty, which could affect religious studies expertise.

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