The head of the committee for humanitarian and information policy, MP of the pro-presidential party Mykyta Poturaev, has said that after the adoption of the law No 8371, communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will be able to be banned based on the results of publications in the mass media, statements by local authorities or public organizations. He told about this in an interview with the publication Ukrinform.
“We have expanded the tools for such an examination. Now SSEFC can use both expertise and other materials: appeals of state authorities, local governments, publications in the media, data from the SSU, appeals of public organizations about the activities of the communities of the Mospatriarchate in Ukraine. In the previous version, such appeals were not grounds for the HESC to take any measures against an organization that positions itself as Ukrainian but acts against the interests of Ukraine. Now there is a whole list of organizations and institutions from the materials of which the SSEFC can draw a conclusion about the subordination of the church, the governing center of which is located in the aggressor state”, – the MP said.
Poturaev added that in case this or that community of the UOC will be suspected of ties with the aggressor state, it will have from 30 to 60 days to appeal such accusations against it.
“If the SSEFC comes to such a conclusion, it must issue a prescription, where the grounds are given, and the congregation is given a period of 30 to 60 days to rectify the situation. While this period lasts, the religious organization can enter into a dispute with the SSEFC. The parties do not have to go to court right away, but can present counterarguments in dialog with the SSEFC. In principle, if the arguments are convincing, the SSEFC may agree and withdraw the injunction. If not, and the order has not been fulfilled within a legally defined period of time, then the SSEFC is obliged (not can, but must) to go to court with a proposal to terminate the activities of such a religious organization. The court then makes a decision. If the arguments of SSEFC were convincing, then the activity of the organization is terminated by the court – it can not make transactions, conduct activities. I emphasize once again: everything will be decided through the court“, – emphasized Nikita Poturaev.
We will remind, earlier we reported that the Assistant Secretary of State of the United States in 2017-2021 Robert Destro, who is one of the key members of the team of the candidate for President of the United States Donald Trump, believes that the bill № 8371, aimed at banning the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is a direct violation of freedom of conscience and persecution of believers of the “wrong confession”.
