Rada adopts law tightening responsibility for encroachment on Ukraine's territorial integrity
The Verkhovna Rada has tightened penalties for encroachment on Ukraine's territorial integrity and inviolability, and on high treason.
A total of 231 MPs voted for the law introducing on amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine concerning the tightening of penalties for crimes against the foundations of Ukraine's national security.
Under the law, encroachment on Ukraine's territorial integrity and inviolability is punished by imprisonment for a term of three to five years (the previous legislation envisaged imprisonment of up to three years).
The same actions committed by a person again or by a person representing the authorities are punished by imprisonment for a term of five to ten years.
In addition, the law foresees that high treason envisages imprisonment for a term of 12 to 15 years (the current legislation envisages imprisonment from 10 to 15 years).
According to the amendments, sabotage is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 10 to 15 years (the current legislation envisages imprisonment from 8 to 15 years).
However, the author of the law, the acting head of the Batkivschyna faction, Serhiy Sobolev, added a new article in the code – on obstructing the legal activities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and other military formations.
According to the law, obstructing the legitimate activities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces or other military formations that were created in accordance with Ukrainian law is punishable by imprisonment for a term of five to eight years, whereas the same actions that led to deaths or other grave consequences are punished by imprisonment for a term of 8 to 15 years.
