Draft bill #12122 of October 15, 2024
Status: sent for review to the Law Enforcement Committee of the Verkhovna Rada
Cosponsors: a group of 9 MPs from the Servant of the People faction with Marian Zablotskyi as the first signatory
Who is affected: citizens of Ukraine and courts
Summary:
- more severe penalties will be introduced for intentional destruction or arson of vehicles used either by volunteers or for humanitarian assistance/military support during a war or state of emergency. Such a crime will be punished by imprisonment for 10 to 15 years with confiscation of property as a possible additional penalty
- vehicles will be considered as the ones used for volunteer and humanitarian activities or for supporting the army if they are owned or rented by volunteer organizations or public associations that assist the army or engage in humanitarian activities. This also will apply to individuals if their vehicles are used solely for such purposes
- for such crimes, it will be possible to prosecute even individuals aged from fourteen to sixteen years.
What is right: the bill introduces an additional mechanism to protect military and volunteer vehicles. The bill is important because many cases of arson, often involving minors, are registered.