Kiev, May 22, 2020
Photo: news.church.ua
A petition to revoke bill No. 3316, which calls to impose fines and up to 8 years imprisonment for criticism of LGBT people, gathered the necessary 25,000 votes in less than a month, reports the Information-Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Petition No. 22/093004-EP, authored by the lawyer Sergei Guli, now awaits consideration. It currently has 25,722 signatures.
“This law proposes to establish criminal penalties in the form of fines and prison sentences for intolerance, public appeals, humiliation of dignity on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity,” the author of the petition writes.
“However, in essence, this draft law eliminates such constitutional rights as the right to freedom of speech, thought, and free expression of one’s views and beliefs, as well as the freedom of meetings and assemblies, which means that it does not comply with the fundamental constitutional rights of a man and citizen,” the petition continues.
Additionally, the All-Ukrainian Council, an association of religious and public organizations and concerned citizens dedicated to the Christian development of the Ukrainian state, is offering to write emails and letters of appeal to the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian Parliament, on the withdrawal of bill. No. 3316.
“Previous years have shown that the most effective way to block laws is to have personal meetings with deputies and write them personal letters on issues of concern. Therefore, we urge you to meet with your majority deputies and write them personal letters,” the message reads.
The All-Ukrainian Council also states that it “categorically opposes violence against any person in Ukraine and believes that the current laws and the constitution of Ukraine provide a sufficient legislative framework to protect all citizens from violence.”
