The head of the international human rights company Amsterdam & Partners LLP, Robert Amsterdam, who represents the legal interests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, said that the parliamentary majority in the Verkhovna Rada in the near future intends to vote in the second reading for the bill No 8371 aimed at banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. About this he wrote on his page in the social network X.

“Unfortunately, we have been informed that the legislative majority of Ukraine intends to move forward and pass a bill that will unambiguously destroy religious freedom in the country. This should not surprise us, as they have already destroyed freedom of speech, political opposition and are engaged in a targeted kleptocracy of everyone who is not part of the ruling clique (see the latest FT report),” Amsterdam wrote.

The human rights activist blamed the Ukrainian government for the fact that while the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has opened 70 parishes abroad, takes care of Ukrainian refugees on its own, politicians spend millions of dollars on lobbyists in the United States to ban the UOC.

“Sad but true: the UOC is one of the few sources of independent thought left in Ukraine, and, to the shame of the government, even created 70 parishes outside of Ukraine to take care of refugees, while Kiev is spending millions of dollars on lobbyists in Washington,” – said the human rights activist.

We shall remind you that earlier it became known that the Ukrainian government, using the services of non-governmental organizations, concluded expensive contracts with US lobbying firms to support draft law No. 8371 aimed at banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.