Amsterdam: Law 8371 is to be voted on next week
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Photo: portal.lviv
It has become known that MPs of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine plan to introduce bill No. 8371, which effectively bans the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, into the agenda for next week. American lawyer for the UOC Robert Amsterdam wrote about this on his Twitter on July 17.
"The timing is highly provocative, coming right after the RNC – pushing an illegal bill to attack freedom of religion; a real slap in the face of Ukraine's benefactors," Amsterdam said.
The lawyer emphasized that he supports Ukraine's sovereignty and continued US assistance, but billions of taxpayer dollars require at least a commitment to the rule of law and human rights.
"The US can never be involved in funding the repression of an entire religion based on false pretense – it is against international law," he wrote.
As the UOJ reported, the U.S. Vice President could become a politician who criticized the persecution of the UOC. U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump has chosen Ohio Senator JD Vance for this position.
Read also
First words and photos after Bishop Arseniy's release published online
The abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra, after a year and ten months of imprisonment, offered praise to the Most Holy Theotokos for his release.
In Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi, UOC hierarch reads Great Canon near seized church
Bishop Antony performed the Great Penitential Canon together with believers near a closed church in the Cherkasy Eparchy of the UOC.
His Beatitude reads third part of Great Canon at St Florus Convent
The Primate of the UOC led the Great Compline with the reading of the Penitential Canon at the St. Florus Convent in Kyiv.
UOC lawyer thanks U.S. politicians for Metropolitan Arseniy’s release
Amsterdam gave special mention to Orthodox public and political figures in the United States who spoke out in defense of the UOC hierarch.
82-year-old UGCC nun killed in Brazil
In Brazil’s state of Paraná, a man broke into a UGCC convent and killed 82-year-old Sister Nadiia Havanska. The tragedy has stirred the Ukrainian community.
MP Mazurashu proposes establishing a Bible Day in Ukraine
MP Heorhiy Mazurashu is proposing to add a Bible Day to Ukraine’s list of commemorative dates, without introducing an additional day off.