A Ukrainian flag in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Kozelets, Chernihivska region, on May 14, 2022 (Kyiv, October 30, 2024) – Ukraine’s new law banning religious organizations with ties to the Russian Orthodox Church is overly broad and could have far-reaching consequences for Ukrainians’ right to religious freedom, Human Rights Watch said today. The law could effectively ban congregations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Ukraine’s largest religious body. The law, adopted August 20, 2024, prohibits the Russian Orthodox Church from operating in Ukraine and bans any religious organization in Ukraine with ties to it or any other religious organizations based in countries “engaged in armed aggression against Ukraine.” It authorizes the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience to identify links between Ukrainian religious organizations andthe Russian Orthodox Church. If found to have links, anorganization would have nine months to sever them,otherwise the agency can petition a court to shut it down. “Ukrainian authorities understandably want to address state security concerns in the context of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine,” said Hugh Williamson , Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “But the […]

By : Markus McDowell