Verkhovna Rada's relevant committee recommends the adoption of Bill 8371
Meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on the anti-church bill. Photo: VRU
The Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy recommends that the Verkhovna Rada adopt in its entirety the bill on the activities of religious organizations in Ukraine, No. 8371, reports the website of the Parliament of Ukraine.
It is reported that some provisions of the law were expanded for the second reading. In particular, the following wording was added to Article 3:
"Considering that the Russian Orthodox Church is an ideological extension of the regime of the aggressor state, an accomplice in war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on behalf of the Russian Federation and the ideology of the 'Russian world,' the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine are prohibited," the document states.
Committee member MP Yevheniya Kravchuk stated that by practically quoting the PACE resolution in this paragraph, Ukrainian parliamentarians are thereby strengthening bill 8371 with international documents.
The committee recommends that the Verkhovna Rada adopt this bill in its entirety as law.
As the UOJ reported, the American lawyer for the UOC, Robert Amsterdam, called on the US authorities to influence their allies in Ukraine, who plan to adopt bill No. 8371 next week.
Read also
TRC abducts rector of community in Sutkivtsi, Khmelnytskyi region
Archpriest Volodymyr Stefanyshyn has already been taken to a military training ground.
Church celebrates feast of Holy Foremost Apostles Peter and Paul
On July 12, the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Apostles' Fast (Peter's Fast) comes to an end for Orthodox Christians.
UGCC cleric criticizes OCU head for awarding Greek Catholic officials
Hieromonk Yustyn Boiko of the Lviv Archeparchy called the awarding of church honors to officials a profanation and cited the example of an OCU order presented to a Greek Catholic official.
Expert who found no defamation in Dumenko’s remarks to face disciplinary action
An Interior Ministry research center has confirmed disciplinary measures against the expert whose findings supported what the Metropolitan’s representatives described as unfounded accusations by the OCU head against Metropolitan Theodosiy.
European Parliament condemns forced Islamization of children in Pakistan
The European Parliament has called on Pakistan to establish a mechanism to protect Christian families.
Church of the Presentation damaged by shelling in Russia’s Kursk Region
The newly built church in the village of Kulbaki, Glushkovo District, was completely gutted by fire after being struck by a projectile.