Ukraine: Information on the registration of religious denominations, in particular, with respect to the Pentecostal Church
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 July 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | UKR17938.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ukraine: Information on the registration of religious denominations, in particular, with respect to the Pentecostal Church, 1 July 1994, UKR17938.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acd598.html [accessed 3 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Country Reports for 1992 and 1993 indicate that an April 1991 law on religion remains in effect (1993, 954; 1994, 1116). Country Reports 1993 provides information on the process religious denominations must go through in order to register (ibid., 1116). It states that "the State has not interfered with the registration of minority religions (eg. Islam, Mormon, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of the Nazarene)," however it adds that some local governments have maintained barriers to freedom of religion by delaying the registration process (ibid.).
The 1991 law on religion permits proselytization but an amendment passed by Ukraine's parliament in December 1993 would allow the government to restrict or prohibit the religious activities of foreigners (ibid.). At the beginning of 1994 the law still required presidential approval (ibid.).
Additional information on the registration of religions, including the Pentecostals, is currently unavailable to the DIRB.
A poll conducted throughout the country in May 1993 indicated that 13 per cent of the respondents identified with "other major religions not listed" (The Ethnic NewsWatch 13 Mar. 1994). According to one report, the poll results and "anecdotal evidence" suggest that a relatively large number of people in Ukraine are members of "non-traditional" religions, including the Pentecostal Church (ibid.). A December 1993 report states that there are almost 800 Pentecostal congregations in the country (ibid. 26 Dec. 1993).
Two July 1993 articles in The Seattle Times discuss the situation of "hundreds of Ukrainian families" that have settled in Washington state since 1990 (8 July 1993a; 8 July 1993b). One of the reports states that most of the immigrants are "Pentecostal Christians, admitted to the United States as refugees because they have been persecuted for their religious beliefs" (8 July 1993b). The other describes one of those families and indicates that "they were denied higher education and restricted to entry-level jobs because of their beliefs. Imprisonment sometimes occurred in the pre-Gorbachev days" (8 July 1993a).
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993. 1994. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1992. 1993. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.
The Ethnic NewsWatch. 13 March 1994. "The State of Ukraine's Orthodox Church." (NEXIS)
_____. 26 December 1993. "The Year in Review: Church: Divisiveness in Ukraine and Abroad." (NEXIS)
The Seattle Times. 8 July 1993a. Final edition. Wayne Wurzer. "Coming to America Finding More, Wanting More." (NEXIS)
_____. 8 July 1993b. Final edition. Wayne Wurzer. "Refugees to the New World Ukrainians Find Safety in Numbers, Welfare for Now." (NEXIS)
