The Committee on the Rule of Law does not uphold the draft law on amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code (re establishing criminal responsibility for violating voting procedure during plenary meetings of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and local councils)

Information Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat
04 November 2013, 12:39

 During the meeting of the Committee, it was noted that the bill (Reg. No. 2012) suggests amend the Criminal Code. It was also suggested to supplement article 9 of the Law “On Elections of deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, local councils, village, townships and city chairmen” with a new chapter 3.

In the course of discussion, the people’s deputies voiced their remarks to the bill and paid attention to the fact that the Central Scientific Experts Office of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat claimed the bill should be rejected following the results of its consideration in the first reading. 

According to the people’s deputies, suggested amendments to article 216 of the Criminal Procedure Code are unnecessary. They claimed that proposal of the bill regarding amending article 9 of the Law “On Elections of deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, local councils, village, townships and city chairmen” with a new chapter 3 is also unnecessary.

  Moreover, the proposal of the bill to extend the terms of criminal responsibility by deprivation of rights to hold certain positions or to be engaged in certain activities (from 3 to 5 years if it is applied as additional punishment – chapter 1 of article 55 of the Criminal Code in the new version) does not have a proper justification.