New law permits prisoners to join Ukraine's Armed Forces
The Ukrainian parliament passed bill on May 8, allowing certain categories of prisoners to be conscripted into the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reported European Solidarity MP Oleksii Honcharenko.
The decision was supported by 279 votes.
Those convicted of grievous premeditated murder, rape, sexual violence, and crimes against national security will not be conscripted.
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Iryna Herashchenko, co-chair of the European Solidarity party, clarified that the adopted amendments encompass:
Amendments to the Criminal Code regarding the conditional release of persons for their participation in military service under a contract and the establishment of liability for evading such service
Courts will be empowered to decide on the conditional early release of persons for their participation in military service under a contract, as well as to enforce court decisions on this issue
Regulation of the procedure for conditional early release from punishment of persons for their participation in military service under a contract
Amendments to the law on administrative supervision of persons released from places of deprivation of liberty, designating commanders of military units responsible for supervising such individuals
Amendments to the law on military duty and military service, detailing the specifics of acceptance, performance, and discharge from military service of persons released on parole for contract military service, as well as addressing the issues of their social and legal protection.
Amendments to the Criminal Code regarding the conditional release of persons for their participation in military service under a contract and the establishment of liability for evading such service;
Courts will be empowered to decide on the conditional early release of persons for their participation in military service under a contract, as well as to enforce court decisions on this issue;
Regulation of the procedure for conditional early release from punishment of persons for their participation in military service under a contract;
Amendments to the law on administrative supervision of persons released from places of deprivation of liberty, designating commanders of military units responsible for supervising such individuals;
Amendments to the law on military duty and military service, detailing the specifics of acceptance, performance, and discharge from military service of persons released on parole for contract military service, as well as addressing the issues of their social and legal protection.
Herashchenko’s party abstained from voting because the law still contained a provision allowing for the release on parole for people convicted of manslaughter.
Corrupt officials would not be allowed to have their sentences replaced with the opportunity to fight, she added.
NGL.media's analysis of the court register for 2022-2024 shows that the consideration of about 11,000 cases was suspended indefinitely due to the conscription of the accused.
The Verkhovna Rada passed the bill in the first reading on April 10.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
