During the Revolution of Dignity 2013-2014, the authorities tried to suppress protest movements not only by force, but also through the judicial system. The judges made a decision to ban meetings, fined protests, sent activists to arrest and legitimized violence by law enforcement.
Later, such decisions of "Maidan judges" were declared illegal. There are more than 300 Femida ministers involved in the Redomes' Damage. Most of them still remain in office and continue to receive public funds. Before the Day of Remembrance of Heavenly Hundred Heroes, journalists "Investigation.Info" investigated how the situation with "Maidan judges" changed over the last year.
On the tenth anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity "Investigation.Info" investigated what happened to "Maidan judges". At that time, the journalists wrote that the majority of Themis officials escaped punishment for their actions: they closed the case against someone, someone renewed and continued to receive public funds, and someone "escaped" into the honorary resignation and now be held for life.
Instead of release - resignation
Retailing is the logical completion of the career of Themis officials, which is accompanied by lifelong maintenance for public funds. The amount of this detention depends on the judge's salary (payments from 50 to 90% depending on the length of service). As of January 2025, there are 3,908 judges on January 2025, and Themis's average pension is 107 040.28 UAH. In 2024, the Pension Fund spent more than UAH 5 billion in retirement judges.
Yevgeny Bezsmoly is one of the judges of the Maidan, who took advantage of resigning and escaped punishment for his actions.
Judge Eugene Bezsmoly
On January 28, 2014, during the Revolution of Dignity, Judge Yevgeny Bezsmoly decided to arrest for 15 days a student of Kirovograd, Eugene Prodansk for a "malicious disobedience of the police". In particular, Soldets allegedly refused to present documents to police officers at the moment when he passed the building of the regional administration. The police then accused the student of trying to grab a service from law enforcement officers.
On the same day, January 28, 2014, Judge Bezsmoly decided to arrest for 15 days a member of the All -Ukrainian Association "Freedom" Igor Yakimenko. According to the protocol of law enforcement officers, Yakimenko "behaved suspiciously and began to speak to the police officers with dirty cursing and tried to resist when police officers approached and presented their official certificates." Yakimenko himself denied it all and said that the police detained him on the way to work.
Later, in February 2018, the High Council of Justice decided to release Eugene Bezhmoli from the position of a judge for committing a significant disciplinary misconduct. Themida's servant challenged this decision, and in November 2018 the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court for the presidency of Vsevolod Knyazev (which in May 2023, anti -corruption authorities detained a bribe of $ 3 million) on a bribe) abolished the dismissal.
In December 2024, the High Council of Justice sent Evgeny Bezhnyliy to the honorary resignation because he filed a statement.
Liana Kurilo, a judge of the Kharkiv Administrative Court of Appeal, which was sent to the second appellate court of Kharkiv in January this year, decided to resign.
Judge Liana Kurilo
In the winter of 2014, he left a resolution as part of the panel of judges, which forbade the All -Ukrainian Association "Freedom" to install agitation tents in Barvinkova in Kharkiv. The resolution stated that the tents would violate the right of the locals to rest.
At the interview, during the qualification assessment of the SCCS, he asked Liana Kurilo as, according to the Constitution, the court tried to protect the right to rest, forbidding the establishment of tents. The judge could not answer and simply remained silent for 20 seconds. And this decision was explained by the fact that the college wanted to "avoid any negative consequences on the persons who participated in the New Year holidays."
According to the results of the interview, the CCCS recognized Liana Kurilo such that he did not correspond to the occupied position. After that, the judge began to resign, however, in 2019 she was left without consideration.
In October 2024, the GRP decided to resign Kurilo, the judge will receive about 450 thousand hryvnias of initial assistance and has a monthly "pension" of more than 120 thousand hryvnias.
In general, during the 2024-early 2025 "Investigation.Info" reported five cases of release of Maidan judges resign.
Avoid punishment and “premiums”
Supplements to the judge's salary - the monetary remuneration provided by the Law on the Judiciary and the Status of Judges. It is charged for being in an administrative position, years of service, work that involves access to state secrets, and a degree. In 2024, the Maidan judges who could be released were not only challenged and remained in office, but also received "bonuses" for their activities.
One of these judges is the head of the fifth Administrative Court of Appeal by Odessa Stepan Domuschi.
Judge Stepan Domuschi
In December 2013, under the leadership of Domuschi, the panel of judges considered an appeal to ban peaceful assemblies on Odessa's main street in support of the Revolution of Dignity. The decision on the ban was issued by the Odessa District Administrative Court. Themis officials left the complaint without pleasure, which legalized the ban. However, in his declaration, Stepan Domuschi stated that he did not make such decisions.
In 2016, Themida official participated in the competition in the Cassation Administrative Court as part of the Supreme Court, but did not enter the new department because of a negative conclusion from the Public Council of Integrity. The conclusion was based on false information that the judge stated in the declaration. It also states that the judge is subject to inspection in accordance with the law, which could entail the prosecution, and in case of detection of violations of the oath - dismissal.
Despite this, the judge continues to hold the post of chairman. In 2024 he received supplements to a salary of 120 466.89 UAH.
Judge Natalia Marfina also avoids punishment for his actions. The judge started working in 2013.
Judge Natalia Marfina
In 2013, the servant of Themis considered the complaint of the participant of the trip of Avtomaydan to the Mezhigorye Yevgeny Kuzminsky. The driver tried to challenge Judge Nelya Swallow's decision to deprive the rights for 4 months. This decision was based on the report of the GAI inspector on refusal to stop when leaving Kiev. Later, the judge was punished by a submission for dismissal. Natalia Marfina did not satisfy the claim against the decision, although at the time of the decision she was acquainted with mass falsification for the sake of persecution of activists.
Yevgeny Kuzminsky and his lawyer argued that the judge was inclined to satisfy the claim, but during the meeting of Marfin was summoned by the chairman of the court. After that, the Femida Servant sharply changed her mind and denied the claim.
In April 2018, Judge Marfina successfully passed the qualification assessment, and in May of that year she received a recommendation on the appointment of a judge for life.
On February 17, 2025, the First Disciplinary Chamber of the High Council of Justice considered Oleg Loy's complaint against Natalie Marfin. The complaint concerned that the servant Themis refused to satisfy the lawyer's claim, since the order he sued was not the number of his certificate, and the body and date of issue were not specified. In this case, the complainant has an old sample certificate that cannot contain such data.
As a result of the inspection of disciplinary inspectors, the violations were not detected and the case was not opened against the judge.
In total, there are more than 300 judges in Ukraine who were involved in the oppression of protesters. Among them 165 still work in the judicial system, 16 do not do justice, but receive salaries. Another 66 judges are now retired, which provides for a lifelong monthly monthly detention. In contrast, 53 judges were released for violations (not always for Maidan cases) and 20 judges were fired at their own request.
Previously, the investigation. Info spoke with Judge Sergey Dyachuk, who explained why we witnessed the historical process during the trial of law enforcement officers who participated in the execution of peaceful protesters during the Revolution of Dignity.
Femida's servant was the chairman of the jury, who sentenced 48 people and wounded the 80's to life imprisonment of the expirer of the Kiev special unit "Golden Marinchenko. The 5th fighter-Sergey Tamtour-was justified. However, after the court sentence, no one physically so far away and sat down.
