48 defendants in criminal proceedings being investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office were mobilized into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after their cases were transferred to court. As a result, the trial of these defendants has been suspended.
This was reported by the SAPO, emphasizing a new trend, which, according to prosecutors, is turning into a mechanism for avoiding responsibility.
After the presentation of the suspicion, investigation, and transfer of the case to the court, the accused may voluntarily join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. If he enters a combat zone or participates in the performance of combat missions, the court suspends the consideration of the case until the completion of his service.
As noted in the SAPO, this practice leads to:
-
indefinite suspension of legal proceedings;
-
postponement of sentencing;
-
shortening the statute of limitations for bringing to justice, which actually allows for avoiding punishment.
Prosecutors note that they increasingly see the voluntary mobilization of defendants not as a manifestation of civic responsibility, but as a legal strategy.
This trend gained particular prominence amid the news about the former head of the State Fiscal Service, Roman Nasirov, whose case was already at the stage of court debates. In April, it became known that Nasirov had mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine, after which the defense immediately requested a stay of proceedings.
However, within a few days, the Military Law Enforcement Service canceled the mobilization order and also announced an internal investigation into the circumstances of his conscription.
This case demonstrated possible abuses of the mobilization mechanism and caused a public outcry.
The prosecutor's office emphasizes: participation in hostilities should not become a shield to avoid responsibility. On the one hand, the defendants can indeed perform combat missions, on the other hand, they use this as a legal pause, which in conditions of martial law significantly delays the process of bringing to justice.
The SAPO also warns: abuse of such mechanisms can undermine trust in mobilization itself as a defense tool.
