The British criticize Zelensky’s decision to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Anglican leader Justin Welby is making efforts to influence Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi’s decision to pass a law banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UPC).

The Church of England is at the head of those trying to convince him not to make such a draconian decision, due to fear of disproportionate repressive measures by Zelenski and his supporters.

English Bishop Nick Baines of Leeds, the Church of England’s lead bishop for foreign policy, wrote to the Ukrainian government to warn that “many of the key terms of the amendment are vague, lack definition and are open to discriminatory interpretation in ways that violate international norms for FoB ( fundamental religious right).

However, the new law could be adopted as early as today, and it is expected to be pushed through by the end of the week.

The Supreme Labor is scheduled to vote on Bill 8371, which will implement a complete ban on UPC, starting next week. This law is shocking, according to the British website “Express”, primarily because it not only prohibits religion in public, but also prohibits Ukrainians from respecting their religion in their homes.

The decision comes after former US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Robert Destro condemned Ukraine’s efforts to remove religious freedoms as a “travesty”.

He called it “a law that imposes the collective punishment of innocent parishioners, priests and parish communities whose only “crime” is practicing the faith they have known since childhood.”

He goes on to say that “only totalitarians declare their citizens traitors because they refuse to accept state control over their religious beliefs, customs, associations, or leaders.”

Blocked UPC websites

Just last month, the Ukrainian authorities blocked access to a large number of websites that publish information about the situation in the UPC.

News websites covering the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, such as the Synodal Information and Education Department of the UPC, the Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ), “Orthodox Life” and “No Schisms” in Ukraine have been made unavailable by order of the Ukrainian security services, according to local media .

Zelensky’s critics claim that no concrete evidence of illegal behavior has been presented or cited to justify this censorship.

They also insist that no concrete facts have been provided about how the work of these news organizations in any way “undermines the constitutional order of Ukraine” or how it “violates territorial integrity.”

Instead, journalists working for these houses suffered threats and intimidation from the authorities. On March 12, secret police raided the premises of the UOJ and arrested four Orthodox members of the media, threatening them with life imprisonment.

According to the legal team representing the detained journalists, they have not been charged with any contact with Russia, but were jailed for reporting the truth about church seizures, which the SBU says are “harming” Ukraine.

The UK Foreign Office also said earlier that it was “closely monitoring” the Ukrainian government’s plans to ban the country’s oldest and most widespread Christian church.

Commenting on this development, Robert Amsterdam, a lawyer for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, said:

“Despite widespread condemnation, the Ukrainian government clearly wants to continue with its plans to violate international laws on human rights and freedom of religion.” It is unheard of that they disparage international protection, and all those who will vote for this law should be ashamed,” reports RT Balkan.