Ukraine has taken a step towards improving the fight against corruption by adopting a law that allows for reduced prison terms for corrupt officials who cooperate with the investigation.
MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak announced the adoption of the law “On Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine to Improve the Regulation of Plea Agreements in Criminal Proceedings on Corruption-Related Criminal Offenses and Criminal Offenses Related to Corruption” (registration number 12039). The bill, which was voted for by 263 MPs, was supported by the SAPO, NABU, and Ukraine's international partners.
Zheleznyak noted that the new law allows for reduced prison terms for those who cooperate with the investigation, exposing accomplices and compensating for the damages caused. For example, instead of 8 years, a corrupt person can receive 5. In cases of minor crimes, if the defendant pays compensation and a fine, an additional punishment in the form of confiscation is possible.
In addition to a reduced prison term, the court can impose significant fines on corrupt officials:
- For non-serious crimes : from 340 thousand to 2 million hryvnias.
- For serious crimes : from 2 million to 6 million hryvnias.
- For especially serious crimes : from 6 to 12 million hryvnias.
These amounts take into account both the severity of the crime and the offenders' ability to compensate for the damages caused.
The law also provides for the confiscation of the defendant's property by agreement, and for the organizers of the schemes, a reduction in prison terms is possible only with the cooperation and exposure of other co-organizers.
As Zheleznyak noted, the adoption of this law is an important condition for Ukraine to receive 4 billion euros under the Ukraine Facility Plan. The law must be signed by October 31 so that Ukraine can count on support under this plan.
