European Parliament urges to ban "Peacemaker" site

Europe is concerned that intimidation and hate speech have become a political tool in Ukraine. Photo: ria.ru

The European Parliament (EP) has approved a final resolution on Ukraine, in which it called on the Ukrainian authorities to ban the activities of the controversial Mirotvorets ("Peacemaker" – translator’s note) website. The broadcast of the meeting, during which the text of the Resolution was promulgated, was conducted on the EP website on February 11.

“The EP regrets that the political climate in the country has deteriorated when intimidation, hate speech and political pressure are widely used for political purposes; urges the authorities to strongly condemn and ban the activities of extremist and hateful groups and websites, such as Mirotvorets, which create tension in society and misuse the personal data of hundreds of people, including journalists, politicians and members of minority groups,” the Resolution says.

Recall that the “Mirotvorets” site, created in 2014 as the Internet office of the "Center for Research of Crimes against the Foundations of National Security of Ukraine, Peace and Security of Citizens", contains personal data of people whose actions, according to the administrators of the resource, are aimed "against Ukraine".

In particular, a number of "opponents of the independence of Ukrainian Orthodoxy from the Russian-controlled ROC" were added to the "Peacemaker" database, including the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, the UOC Chancellor, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary, the UOC spokesman, Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich, and other clergymen. The same list includes the believers of the UOC and famous Ukrainian boxers Alexander Usik and Vasily Lomachenko.

Read also

ROCOR Priest Reflects on Trip to Capitol Hill

Archpriest Victor Boldewskul participated in the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco's Day of Action to raise awareness about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Hundreds of Chinese Christians Arrested in Pre-Christmas Crackdown

Hundreds of Chinese Christians face spending Christmas in detention after authorities launched a sweeping pre-holiday crackdown on churches under Beijing’s campaign to control religious life.

Ukraine Adviser: UOC Not Banned, but Offered a 'Choice' of Jurisdictions

A Ukrainian presidential adviser said the UOC is not banned but pressured to choose between joining the OCU, submitting to Constantinople, or remaining unregistered, while dismissing international concerns as propaganda.

Indiana Reports 98% Drop in Abortions Under Stricter Law

Indiana’s latest health report shows a 98% drop in reported abortions under stricter laws, though dozens still occurred under legal exceptions and concerns persist about unreported pill abortions.

Armenian Apostolic Church Pushes Back on Political Encroachment

The Armenian Apostolic Church plans to appeal to international bodies to resist government interference and defend its clergy and sacred relics.

Attempted Takeover at Armenian Etchmiadzin Cathedral Thwarted by Faithful

Supporters of Armenian PM Pashinyan attempted to storm Etchmiadzin Cathedral amid calls for the Catholicos’s resignation but were blocked by parishioners and security.