On Easter eve SBU puts pressure on UOC priests

SBU employees remind the priests of the UOC of criminal liability. Photo: www.news24-7.ru

The UOJ Editorial board receives messages from the priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Odessa and Nikolaev, who on Easter eve are visited by SBU officers of Ukraine and offered to sign “warning” leaflets. The documents cite excerpts from Article 325 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “Violation of rules related to combating contagious diseases and mass poisonings”.

Thus, rectors of Odessa’s temples are brought a “Warning on the inadmissibility of illegal actions” with a reminder that since April 6, the country has “increased anti-epidemic measures, including the prohibition of gathering in groups of more than 2 people and the holding of public events”.

“The uncontrolled spread of this disease can pose a significant threat to the state security of Ukraine. <...> According to Article 17 of the Constitution of Ukraine, to protect the sovereignty and territorial indivisibility of Ukraine, and to ensure its economic and informational security are the most important functions of the State and a matter of concern for all the Ukrainian people. Thus, every citizen of Ukraine should do everything in his/her power to ensure state security and prevent possible threats. In this regard, article 325 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and responsibility for committing the actions provided for by this article are explained to you,” the text says.

The following leaflet contains excerpts from the article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: “1. Violations of rules and norms related to the prevention of and combating epidemic and other contagious diseases, as well as mass non-infectious diseases (poisoning) where these actions caused or could knowingly cause a spread of these diseases, shall be punishable by a fine up to 100 tax-free minimum incomes, or arrest for a term up to six months, or restraint of liberty for a term up to three years. 2. The same acts, if they caused death of people or any other grave consequences, – shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of five to eight years.”

At the end of the warning of criminal liability, clergymen must sign that they understand the essence of this article of the Criminal Code.

The priests of Nikolaev also receive warnings with the same content.

As reported earlier, in the Odessa region, village councils arbitrarily prohibit Easter services. The Law Department of the UOC declared the illegality of such orders of local authorities.

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