13:28 27.07.2022

Head of Crimean Prosecutor's Office: Crimeans forcibly drafted into Russian army or illegal formations are victims of armed conflict, not criminals

3 min read
Head of Crimean Prosecutor's Office: Crimeans forcibly drafted into Russian army or illegal formations are victims of armed conflict, not criminals

The creation of a mobilization center in Crimea occupied by Russia may indicate a covert mobilization on the peninsula to involve the Crimeans in the war, forcibly conscripted Crimeans who have not committed other crimes are victims of the armed conflict, not criminals, Head of the prosecutor's office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol Ihor Ponochovny said.

In a commentary to Interfax-Ukraine, Ponochovny said that during the eight years of the occupation of the Crimean peninsula, more than 34,000 Crimeans were forced into military service in the army of the occupying state.

According to him, with the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion into Ukraine, the occupying army suffers numerous losses and requires replenishment of the human resource.

"Thousands of Ukrainians who remained in the occupied territories have already been or are at potential risk of being forced into mobilization," he said.

In this context, the head of the prosecutor's office said: "The recent creation of a new mobilization center in the occupied Crimea may indicate a covert mobilization on the peninsula for the potential involvement of Crimeans in the war on the side of the occupying army. Russia aims to send Ukrainians from the territory of the peninsula to fight against their country."

He drew attention to the fact that such actions of the occupiers violate the norms of international humanitarian law, in particular, the provisions of the IV Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949 and are a war crime that has no statute of limitations.

According to Ponochovny, within the national legislation, the prosecutor's office of the autonomy qualifies the following actions under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the sanction of which provides for up to 12 years in prison.

"I emphasize that the Crimeans, forcibly drafted into the ranks of the Russian army or other illegal formations, are victims of the armed conflict, and not criminals. Therefore, they cannot and will not be subject to criminal prosecution if they did not commit any other crime while serving in the occupying army," the head of the prosecutor's office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea said.

He also said that information about the alleged persecution of Crimean conscripts by Ukraine is propaganda aimed at discrediting the Ukrainian authorities.

"At the same time, the actions of citizens of Ukraine from the occupied territory, voluntarily joining the Russian armed formations, can be qualified as high treason," Ponochovny said.

AD
AD
AD
AD
AD