Proceedings against volunteers: Prosecutor General’s Office pledges cooperation with civil society in this matter

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) met with representatives of civil society and the volunteer community. During the meeting, the PGO responded to the situation with criminal proceedings against Ukrainian volunteers. 

The meeting was attended by Liudmyla Yankina, project manager at Human Rights Centre ZMINA, and Daniil Popkov, legal advisor at ZMINA. 

The meeting was also attended by volunteers suspected by law enforcement officers of allegedly selling humanitarian aid, as well as their lawyers. Volunteers, who provide assistance to various units or battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, are suspected of selling bulletproof vests, vehicles, and other material assets. 

The meeting participants event discussed the problems in the legal assessment of volunteers’ actions by law enforcement agencies, resulting in the initiation of criminal proceedings against volunteers. All proceedings ZMINA reported to PGO are under special control and are being studied in detail, the PGO representatives noted. 

“Previously, we appealed to the PGO with a request to take control of over a dozen criminal proceedings in which we established the fact of dishonest actions of law enforcement agencies. We believe that these proceedings should be closed. And there are reasons for that: there are no elements of crime in the proceedings, there is no public threat in the actions of these specific volunteers, and there is also the fact of incitement by law enforcement officers which is prohibited by law,” Yankina said. 

“We understand the critical importance of volunteer activities in wartime conditions. This is the first such meeting, but it will certainly not be the last. And in the future, we will openly inform civil society about the work of prosecutors in this area,” stressed Oleksiy Boniuk, Head of the Department for Criminal Legal Policy and Investment Protection of the Prosecutor General’s Office. 

Those present agreed to analyze the positions expressed and further cooperation, and the prosecutors pledged to maintain a constant dialogue with human rights defenders and volunteers.