Zelenskyy signs law on prohibition of Russian-affiliated religious organisations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law banning the activities of religious organisations associated with Russia in Ukraine on 24 August.
Source: website of the Ukrainian parliament
Details: The law was also published in the official parliamentary publication Holos Ukrainy (Voice of Ukraine).
It is noted that the purpose of the law is to ban the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church and religious organisations affiliated with it in Ukraine, prohibit the propaganda of the "Russian world" ideology, and prohibit the use of religious organisations to promote this ideology. [The "Russian world" is the general idea of the superiority of Russian Orthodoxy, culture, language, etc., widely promoted by pro-Kremlin figures – ed.]
The law comes into force on the day following its publication.
Background:
- On 20 August, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in its entirety a bill banning religious organisations in Ukraine that are linked to Russia, which could potentially cripple the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP).
- In January 2023, the government registered in the Verkhovna Rada bill No. 8371 on the ban on religious organisations in Ukraine, which could result in the termination of the UOC-MP.
- On 19 October 2023, the Verkhovna Rada passed the bill in the first reading.
- On 23 July, MPs blocked the stand of the Verkhovna Rada because they refused to consider the bill banning the UOC-MP, thus disrupting the plenary session.
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