Rada registers bill on criminal liability for men who do not return to Ukraine after martial law declared

A draft law on the mandatory return to Ukraine of men abroad during martial law has been registered in Ukrainian parliament, which, among other things, implies the introduction of criminal liability for those who did not return to Ukraine after the declaration of martial law.

The explanatory note to the draft law No. 7265 On Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine On the Legal Regime of Martial Law to establish liability for failure to comply with the requirements of the law on return to Ukraine after the introduction of martial law in Ukraine or in its individual areas" notes that the changes proposed by the authors are aimed at ensuring the full functioning of the defense forces of Ukraine, state authorities and local governments under martial law.

"The draft law proposes to introduce a new article into the law of Ukraine On the legal regime of martial law regarding the obligation of persons who, according to the law, are subject to conscription for military service during mobilization, as well as members of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, heads of state authorities and their deputies, MPs Ukraine, village, city heads, law enforcement officers of Ukraine, judges, judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, prosecutors who are outside Ukraine, in the event of the introduction of martial law in Ukraine or in its individual areas, in the absence of good reasons to return to Ukraine," the note says.

The bill also proposes to introduce a new article into the Criminal Code of Ukraine, establishing the criminal liability of citizens of Ukraine for failure to comply with the requirements of this law in the form of imprisonment for a term of five to ten years.