On September 23, 2024, the law "On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Field of Activities of Religious Organizations", adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on August 20, entered into force. This law prohibits the activities of religious organizations that have close ties with the aggressor state, in particular, the Moscow Patriarchate.
As reported, on August 20, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the second reading and as a whole a draft law prohibiting the activity of religious organizations affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine (No. 8371 "On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Field of Activities of Religious Organizations").
At the same time, several provisions of the document enter into force later.
In particular, the day after the publication, the Cabinet of Ministers begins the preparation of by-laws, and in nine months, a provision of the draft law will enter into force, which allows the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience to apply to the court for the termination of the activities of a religious organization, if the service has established a its connection with the ROC (Russian Orthodox Church) of the aggressor country.
In addition, within three months from the date of promulgation of this law, the Cabinet of Ministers must take measures to return state property from the use of foreign religious organizations whose activities are prohibited in Ukraine and religious organizations whose activities are not allowed, as well as take measures to return state property within six months for the use of legal entities, the owner of which is a foreign religious organization whose activity is prohibited in the country.
