SBU initiated an increase of legal grounds to dissolve religious organizations

Specifically, this pertains to religious organizations whose authorized persons have been convicted of crimes against the national security of Ukraine or criminal offenses specified in Articles 161, 258 – 258-6, 436 – 438, 442, 447 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. These articles include offenses related to "violation of equality of citizens based on race, nationality, religious beliefs, disability, and other characteristics," "terrorist act," "propaganda of war," "planning, preparation, initiation, and conduct of aggressive war," "violation of laws and customs of war," "genocide," and "mercenary activities."

This was reported by Glavkom.

Currently, according to paragraph 5 of part 4 of Article 16 of the Law "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations," the activities of a religious organization can only be terminated through a court procedure if its authorized persons are convicted of a criminal offense against the national security of Ukraine, as specified in Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code (collaborationist activities).

The bill was registered by the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Informational Policy, Mykita Poturaev. The initiative to pass this bill or make proposed changes to existing bills was put forward by the Security Service of Ukraine. The head of the SBU, Vasyl Maliuk, sent a letter (photo below) to the parliamentarians regarding this.

The letter says that since the beginning of the full-scale aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine has been conducting a pre-trial investigation into 65 criminal cases involving 65 clergy members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP), including 15 bishops, some of whom are legal heads of religious organizations (directorates, monasteries, centers, etc.).

As per the Security Service, among the crimes disclosed are 20 cases of treason, collaborationism, and aiding the aggressor country. Additionally, law enforcement agencies are investigating 18 cases related to incitement to religious hatred, as well as the sale of firearms and the dissemination of child pornography.

It was previously reported that the necessary 226 votes had been gathered in parliament to bring the bill on the prohibition of UOC MP activities to a vote.