Ukraine’s parliament speaker signs bill banning Russian-linked religious organizations

The chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, has signed a bill that bans the activities of religious organizations affiliated with Russia in Ukraine.

The law will now be sent to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for signature. It aims to prevent the operation of churches controlled by a state that is committing aggression against Ukraine, namely Russia, including the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.

A special expert commission, established by the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, will investigate the activity of religious organizations suspected of cooperating with the Russian Orthodox Church. If the commission identifies violations, it will issue a directive to such a church to correct the situation.

Subsequently, a court will decide whether to ban the religious organization. The procedure will be applied to the Moscow Patriarchate churches and individual legal entities representing it. It means that each parish or diocese can be banned separately.

The law will take effect 30 days after its publication. Under the legislation, the Russian Orthodox Church communities in Ukraine will have nine months to sever ties with the Moscow Orthodox Church.

Is Ukraine banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church?

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