Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers authorizes State Service for Ethno-politics to combat 'Russian world' ideology

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has expanded the powers of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (SSEC), giving it the functions of detecting and suppressing the propaganda of the ideology of the “Russian world” in the activities of religious organizations. The corresponding changes to the regulation on the agency were introduced by Resolution No 1279, which also defines the procedure for appealing against its acts.

According to the sud.ua news and analysis website, from now on the SSEU is authorized to conduct research into the affiliation of Ukrainian religious organizations with foreign ones, whose activities are banned in the country. The key new powers are to consider and confirm the facts of using a religious organization to propagate the “Russian world”, as well as to issue binding orders to eliminate the revealed violations. In addition, the service will provide individual approvals for contacts with banned foreign religious organizations and conduct religious expertise.

This decision develops the resolution No. 541 adopted earlier in May, which approved a list of signs of propaganda of the ideology of the “Russian world”. Such signs include, in particular, the presentation of Russia’s military aggression as a “holy war” against the “soulless West”, denial of the existence of the Ukrainian nation using the ideas of “triune Russia”, justification of Russia’s territorial claims, as well as denial of the right of Ukrainian churches to autocephaly.

The document notes that the use of such ideas for scientific or research purposes is not considered propaganda if it is not aimed at spreading or supporting them. Also, the government stipulated that the orders of the HESS, which are administrative acts, can be appealed in the manner determined by the Law “On Administrative Procedure”.

We shall remind you that the Supreme Court of Ukraine accepted for consideration the appeal of the Kyiv Metropolitanate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) against the lower court’s decision in the case against the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (SSEC). The move moves one of the most high-profile legal proceedings concerning the activities of the UOC to the country’s highest court.