VR proposes to punish for denying independence of the "Ukrainian Church"

The draft law on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Photo: w1.c1.rada.gov.ua

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has registered a bill of two MPs from the Servant of the People party, Oleg Dunda and Oleksandr Alekseychuk, which, among other things, provides for the liquidation of organizations and the confiscation of their property for denying the independence of the “Ukrainian Church” and for the narrative about spiritual unity of “two fraternal nations”, meaning Ukrainians and Russians. Bill No. 5258 "On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Concerning the Condemnation of the Ideology of the ‘Russian World’" was registered on March 17, 2021.

It foresees supplementing the Law of Ukraine "On the Condemnation of the Communist and National Socialist (Nazi) Totalitarian Regimes in Ukraine and the Prohibition of the Propagation of Their Symbols" with parts where the "Russian world" ideology is equated with the Communist and Nazi regimes.

The bill, in terms of describing the ideology of the "Russian world", says that it is "a kindred form of National Socialism (Nazism) ... on the basis of traditional imperialism – autocracy, Orthodoxy, nationality; the use of the Church and Orthodoxy for political purposes.”

In the propaganda of the “Russian world”, the deputies propose to include, among other things, “the use of religious rhetoric for politico-manipulative purposes or to destabilize the social situation (denial of the independence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the use of the basic postulate of the inviolable spiritual unity of two fraternal peoples, etc.) )", as well as "initiation of projects and events designed to demonstrate to the general public that Ukraine and Russia have a common cause, genealogy, common spiritual heritage and future."

For non-compliance with the new law, "Servants" propose to liquidate legal entities, political parties, other associations of citizens and the media through a decision by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. The MPs propose to confiscate property, money and other assets of liquidated legal entities, organizations and media.

As reported by the UOJ, Servants of the People are proposing to close religious organizations “for treason”.

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