In the Odesa region, a city official renounced her children so her husband could leave the country — media reports
August 20, 2024
A Ukrainian family with children was deported from Germany to Poland — media reports
August 20, 2024
The Verkhovna Rada has passed in its entirety Bill No. 8371, which effectively bans the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The full name of the document is the Draft Law on Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on the Activities of Religious Organizations in Ukraine.
In the second reading, the bill was supported by 265 members of parliament. The “Platform for Life and Peace” group, led by Yuriy Boyko, almost unanimously voted against the law banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with 17 votes from this group opposing the bill.
Additionally, 7 deputies from the “Revival of Ukraine” group and 3 deputies from the “Servant of the People” party voted against the law.
The president’s party provided 173 votes out of its 233 members.
The other factions and groups almost unanimously voted in favor of the law.
Recently, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations supported the adoption of the law, which introduces an effective ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Meanwhile, according to experts, the adoption of this bill directly contradicts Article 35 of the Constitution of Ukraine.
Article 35 of the Constitution of Ukraine:
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought and religion. This right includes the freedom to practice any religion or not to practice any, to perform religious rituals and ceremonies individually or collectively, and to conduct religious activities without hindrance.
The exercise of this right may be restricted by law only in the interests of public order, health, and morality of the population, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
The Church and religious organizations in Ukraine are separated from the state, and the school is separated from the Church. No religion may be recognized by the state as mandatory.
No one may be exempted from their obligations to the state or refuse to comply with the law based on religious beliefs. If performing military duties contradicts a citizen’s religious beliefs, the fulfillment of these duties must be replaced by alternative (non-military) service.
On July 16, representatives of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine arrived at the Sviatohirsk Lavra to conduct an inventory of the monastery’s property and check the title documents (similar measures were taken at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra before its transfer to the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine).
English 
Русский 