People's deputy of Ukraine Nestor Shufrych, who is under investigation on suspicion of treason, received the right to perform his duties as a people's elected representative. However, this is possible only remotely, because he will physically remain in the SBU detention center.
The Shevchenkiv District Court of Kyiv gave Shufrych the opportunity to exercise deputy powers, but with certain restrictions. In particular, he can prepare and send written appeals, requests or other documents related to his activities as a people's deputy.
The SBU emphasized that Shufrych will remain in custody, performing the general duties of a prisoner, and will not be able to physically attend meetings of the Verkhovna Rada. Earlier, the court refused his lawyers' request to deliver the People's Deputy to the Parliament.
Nestor Shufrych was arrested in September 2023 on suspicion of treason (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code). Subsequently, in February 2024, a new suspicion was brought against him under the article on financing actions aimed at violently changing the constitutional system of Ukraine (Part 3 of Article 110-2 of the Criminal Code).
This suspicion is related to the financing of the Russian Guard in Crimea. Shufrich is charged with aiding Russian military formations that participated in the illegal annexation of the peninsula.
At the end of 2023, there were reports in the mass media about the possible death of Shufrich. However, this information was not confirmed. The State Bureau of Investigation said that the parliamentarian was alive, although he was in a critical condition due to an acute stress reaction.
Nestor Shufrych is involved in several criminal proceedings, but, despite this, remains a People's Deputy of Ukraine. The court's decision to allow him to perform his duties remotely caused an ambiguous reaction. Some see this as a manifestation of the democratic nature of the legal system, while others see it as an opportunity to avoid responsibility.
