Media: Church of England urges Zelensky not to pass Bill 8371

Justin Welby and the Anglican Church oppose Bill 8371. Photo: Getty

The Anglican Church is making efforts to persuade President Volodymyr Zelensky not to pass a law banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church this week. This was reported by the British publication Express on April 22, 2024.

"Last-ditch efforts are taking place behind the scenes to persuade President Zelensky against introducing a draconian new law which would in effect ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).," the report said.. "At the forefront of the efforts is the Church of England led by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby amid fears that the Russian/ Ukraine war is leading to disproportionate oppressive measures from Zelensky and his supporters."

It is also reported that Nick Baines, the Bishop of Leeds, the Church of England's leading bishop for foreign policy, wrote a letter to the Ukrainian government warning it that "many of the amendment’s key terms are vague, lack definition and are open to discriminatory interpretation in ways that violate international norms on FoRB…. At its most basic, this amendment threatens collective punishment."

According to the publication, the new law may be adopted in the near future.

"The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) is set to vote on Draft Law 8371 which will enforce a complete ban on the UOC, as soon as next week. Shockingly, the law not only outlaws the religion in public but also bans Ukrainians from following the faith in their own homes," the British journalists wrote.

They recall that Robert Destro, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor condemned Ukraine's efforts to abolish religious freedom through Bill 8371. He called it "a law that collectively punishes innocent parishioners, priests and parish communities whose only 'crime' is practicing the faith they have known since childhood."

"Only totalitarians declare that their citizens are traitors because they refuse to accept state control of their religious beliefs, practices, associations, or leaders," Destro said.

According to them, the upcoming vote is the result of years of concerted efforts to intimidate UOC parishioners, priests, journalists and human rights activists.

"Only last month, Ukrainian authorities blocked access to a number of websites publishing information on the developing situation of the UOC," the British publication shared with its readers.

As the UOJ wrote, the Church of England called on Ukraine to withdraw the bill on banning the UOC.

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