Zelenskyy signs laws on responsibility for collaborationism

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed laws establishing and regulating responsibility for collaborative activities.

This is stated in the cards of legislative acts published on the website of the Verkhovna Rada.

Thus, the Law "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts (Concerning the Establishment of Criminal Liability for Collaborative Activities)" (№5144) provides for introducing criminal liability for cooperation with the aggressor state, its occupation administration, and/or its armed or paramilitary formations which provide for restriction of access to positions related to the performance of state or local government functions for a period of 15 years and imposition of other appropriate penalties on persons who carried out such cooperation, as well as the possibility of liquidation of legal entities whose authorized persons carried out such cooperation.

In addition, the document amends the Criminal Procedure Code, which provides for the investigation of criminal offenses under Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code, by investigators of security agencies, as well as extending to such a criminal offense the possibility of special pre-trial investigation (in absentia).

In turn, the law "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts (on Ensuring the Responsibility of Collaborators)" (145143) provides for restrictions on access to certain functions related to elections at all levels, as well as access to military services and access to state secrets for persons who cooperated with the aggressor state, its occupation administration and/or its armed or paramilitary formations.

In addition, the law establishes additional legal grounds for the liquidation of political parties, public, charitable or religious organizations, trade unions, and public formations for the protection of public order and the state border, whose authorized persons carried out such cooperation.

As reported, the Verkhovna Rada passed the relevant laws on March 3. The Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada immediately signed them and sent them to the President for signature.