The Cabinet of Ministers today approved the draft law amending the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, and other legal acts. In particular, it addresses the issue of crediting time served by convicts in prisons in the Temporarily Occupied Territories (TOT).

 

The Ministry of Justice developed the legislative initiative, and the Coordination Center for Ensuring the Exit of Citizens from the TOT supported it.

 

The bill provides that convicted persons who have not served their sentences as a result of the temporary occupation of certain territories of Ukraine shall be released from further serving their sentences by a court decision.

 

However, this provision does not apply to persons sentenced to life imprisonment or for committing crimes against the national security of Ukraine. And also for crimes of torture, against peace, human security, and international law and order.

 

Convictions that have not expired will be reviewed by the court to determine the sentence served. The court will count the period served by the procedure established by law and the period from the day when the execution of the sentence is impossible as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation or temporary occupation until the day the person returns to the territory controlled by the Government of Ukraine as part of the sentence served.

 

Approval of the legislative initiative will ensure the protection of the rights of persons who served their sentences in the territory under temporary occupation and subsequently moved to the territory controlled by Ukraine.

 

The next step is for the bill to be considered by Parliament.