On October 15, Zelensky's decree on UOC to be challenged in Supreme Court

Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: lavra.ua

Today, October 15, 2024, at 10:30, an important court hearing will take place in the Supreme Court of Ukraine regarding the appeal against Presidential Decree No. 820/2022 dated December 1, 2022. This was announced by the lawyer of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, on his Telegram channel. He called on believers for prayerful support in light of the upcoming hearing.

The decree of President Volodymyr Zelensky in question enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) "On Certain Aspects of the Activities of Religious Organizations in Ukraine and the Application of Personal Special Economic and Other Restrictive Measures (Sanctions)." As part of the decree, the Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to develop a draft law prohibiting the activities of religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence in the Russian Federation. This draft law is to comply with international law norms and Ukraine's obligations to the Council of Europe.

Additionally, the government was tasked with inspecting the use of property by religious organizations on the territory of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and conducting a religious study of the statute of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to assess its connections with the Moscow Patriarchate. The NSDC also supported the proposal of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to impose personal sanctions against several individuals associated with the UOC.

Previously, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, the lawyer for the UOC, stated that the Northern Appellate Commercial Court had canceled a hearing that was supposed to address the issue of obstructing UOC believers' access to churches in the Upper Lavra of the Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery.

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