Zhytomyr Regional Сouncil votes to ban UOC

Zhytomyr Regional Council deputies have banned UOC's activities by a majority vote. Photo: zt.gov.ua

On 7 December 2022, during a regular session of the Zhytomyr Regional Council, deputies decided to ban the activity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as reported on the website of the regional council. Of the 64 deputies, 40 took part in the vote, 39 voted for the ban and one abstained.

The text of the decision reads, in particular, that local self-governance bodies should "facilitate a change of subordination of the UOC communities in organizational matters", for which purpose local authorities should organize and hold meetings of religious communities "to make appropriate amendments and additions to the statutes of religious communities".

The local deputies urged the Zhytomyr Regional Military Administration to "assist in making amendments and additions to the statutes of the religious communities which have decided to switch from the UOC to other denominations”.

People's deputies also instructed law-enforcement agencies and local self-government bodies to concern themselves with ensuring the safety of "property and cultural values of religious organizations (associations) of the UOC, which have decided to move to other denominations”.

As reported, the Kropivnytskyy Regional Council registered a draft ban on the UOC.

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