19:23 15.09.2014

Members of armed groups in east Ukraine could be amnestied - bill

2 min read

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has proposed exempting from criminal liability persons who committed criminal offenses in the period from February 22, 2014 in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where an anti-terrorist operation (ATO) was conducted.

This provision is contained in a bill on preventing the prosecution and punishment of persons who participated in events in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which was published by the Ukrainska Pravda online newspaper and which the president intends soon to submit for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada.

The bill exempts from criminal liability members of armed groups or persons involved in the activities of such groups, who took part in the activities of the self-proclaimed authorities in Donetsk and Luhansk regions or opposed the holding of the anti-terrorist operation.

The law applies to persons if they, within a month from the date of entry into force of the law, release or do not hold hostages, voluntarily surrender to state agencies and do not store firearms, ammunition, military equipment, and do not occupy the premises of state and local government agencies.

It is also proposed to exempt from administrative liability persons who committed violations in the period from February 22, 2014 in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where the anti-terrorist operation was conducted.

At the same time, it is proposed not to extend the law to those suspected or accused of having committed acts referred to in Articles 112, 113 and 115 (attempt on the life of a state or public figure, sabotage, premeditated murder) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The amnesty will also not apply to individuals whose actions led to the crash of the Malaysia Airlines plane on July 17, 2014 and who obstructed the investigation.

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