Fylypovych: Sanctions should be imposed on UOC instead of passing a new law

Liudmyla Fylypovych. Photo: nrcu.gov.ua

Doctor of Philosophy, professor at the Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Liudmyla Fylypovych, stated that a new anti-church bill is not needed since Ukraine does not use the legislative mechanisms it already has in relation to the UOC, specifically fines and sanctions, reports Espreso. In legislative initiative 8371, Fylypovych sees echoes of totalitarianism and warns against its adoption.

"How can any worship service be halted or priests of this church sent to Gulags somewhere? There are quite a few of them, around 10,000. And what to do, actually, with the believers, who number in the millions? I do not believe that Ukraine should act as the totalitarian regime once did with our churches, because what then is the difference between us and the anti-people, inhumane regime that Russia has always pursued (whether in the period of the Tsardom of Moscow, the Russian Empire, the USSR, or the Russian Federation). I am against such parallels," stated the religious expert.

She also believes that the anti-church law 8371 has frightened many, and a direct ban on the UOC as an organization might force believers into such religious circumstances that they will be in opposition to the current regime. Instead, the religious scholar suggests using other legislative mechanisms.

"Sanctions and fines should be imposed on them. But we are not using these mechanisms provided by our legislation. If there is material collected against you that indicates you are engaged in anti-Ukrainian activities and this is dangerous for national state security, then you should be held accountable for that. If you cooperate with occupation authorities, work explicitly for the FSB, and there is evidence of this, then you should answer to the law. There are specific articles in both the criminal and administrative codes under which they can be held accountable. 60 cases have already been opened, although not all are proven, only half have reached a court decision, but this work needs to be done consistently and vigorously," noted Fylypovych.

As reported by the UOJ, Liudmyla Fylypovych stated that the adoption of bill No. 8371 in its latest version will have negative consequences for Ukraine's image in the world.

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