Problems of Adherence by Ukraine to International Commitments in Resolution of Cases in Trials that Took Place in Temporarily Occupied Territories

Authors

  • Iryna Basysta Lviv State University of Internal Affairs, Department of Criminal Procedure, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9707-7386
  • Volodymyr Galagan National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Department of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, Ukraine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18523/kmlpj153256.2018-4.119-135

Keywords:

criminal procedure, Supreme Court, European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), international commitments, retrieval of records, restoration of criminal procedure records

Abstract

The legal procedure employed in criminal law where an individual was convicted by the courts of a temporarily occupied area of Ukraine has faced a number of challenges. When the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) finds that Ukraine has run afoul of its international commitments during a trial, the records of such criminal proceedings shall be considered by the Supreme Court’s Grand Chamber, which shall apply the legal procedure regulations for newly discovered or exceptional circumstances, as outlined in Article 34 of the 2012 Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. At the same time, such hearing would be hindered by absence of reliable procedural regulations for retention of records in a criminal case in the occupied territory, and therefore are likely not available for review by the Supreme Court. In this article, the authors attempt to present both the objective challenges and the possible methods and means to address them to the international scholarly community. These challenges stand in the way of the reform of the Ukrainian judicial system as a whole, and particularly affect Ukraine’s adherence to its international commitments as it resolves of cases tried in the temporarily occupied territories. Considering the above, the authors analyzed the legislation and draft laws of Ukraine, as well as a number of international legislative documents, and outlined their own evidence-supported academic opinion on how to resolve the problem as well as articulated their approach to the organizational and legislative aspects of Ukraine’s adherence to its international commitments as the country’s courts resolve such criminal cases.

Author Biographies

Iryna Basysta, Lviv State University of Internal Affairs, Department of Criminal Procedure

Iryna Basysta isDoctor of Legal Sciences, Professor. Worked in investigation units, and later—as an educator. She received her Doctor’s degree in Law in 2014 at the Classical Private University (Zaporizhzhia), and her academic rank of professor—in 2016 at the National Academy of Internal Affairs (Kyiv). Since 2017, she has been working at Lviv State University of Internal Affairs, Lviv, Ukraine. She is currently a professor of the Criminal Procedure and a member of the Academic Advisory Council of the Supreme Court.

Volodymyr Galagan, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Department of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure

Volodymyr Galagan is Doctor of Legal Sciences, Professor. He worked in investigation units, and later—as an educator. He received his Doctor’s degree in Law in 2004 at the National Academy of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (Kyiv), and his academic rank of professor—in 2006, at the same educational institution. Since 2010, he has been working at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Kyiv, Ukraine. He is currently chairing the Department of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedural Law.

References

  1. Bernatska, Natalia. “Miniust znayshov mehanizm vykonannia rishennia ESPL u spravi “Burmych ta inshi proty Ukrainy” [Ministry of Justice Found a Mechanism to Implement ECHR Judgment in Case Burmych and Others v. Ukraine].” Accessed September 10, 2018. https://minjust.gov.ua/news/ministry/nataliya-bernatskaminyust-znayshov-mehanizm-vikonannya-rishennya-espl-u-spravi-burmich-tainshi-proti-ukraini.
  2. Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of November 4, 1950. Accessed September 10, 2018. http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_004.
  3. Konstytutsiia Ukrainy [Constitution of Ukraine of June 28, 1996]. Accessed September 10, 2018. http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/254к/96-вр.
  4. Kovalenko, Valentyn V., and Larysa D. Udalova, and Dmytro P. Pysmenny. Kryminalny protses [Criminal Proceeding]. Kyiv: Tsentr uchbovoi literatury, 2013.
  5. Kryminalnyi protsesualnyi kodeks Ukrainy (zi zminamy, vnesenymy zghidno iz Zakonom No. 5290-VI vid 18 veresnia 2012 roku) [Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine (As Amended According to Law No. 5290-VI of September 18, 2012)]. Accessed September 10, 2018. http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1001–05.
  6. Kryminalnyi protsesualnyi kodeks Ukrainy [Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine] of April 13, 2012. Accessed June 20, 2018. http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/4651–17/page16.
  7. Kuzminova, Viktoria. Pravovi ta naukovi osnovy vidnovlennia (rekonstruktsii) vtrachenykh kryminalnykh sprav [Legal and Academic Basis of Restoration (Reconstruction) of Lost Criminal Cases]. Kharkiv: Natsionalna yurydychna akademiia Ukrainy im. Yaroslava Mudroho, 2002.
  8. Malaniuk, Andriy H. “Zahalni umovy zdiysnennia provadzhennia z vidnovlennia vtrachenykh materialiv u kryminalnomu sudochynstvi Ukrainy
  9. Conditions for Proceedings on Restoration of Lost Records in Criminal Procedure of Ukraine].” Visnyk Lvivskoho Universytetu. Seria Yurydychna 64 (2017): 235–244.
  10. Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. “ECHR Rulings Made Regarding Ukraine” (old version). Accessed September 10, 2018. http://old.minjust.gov.ua/9329.
  11. Pavlov and Others v. Ukraine. (ECHR, November 5, 2015). Accessed September 14, 2018. https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22appno%22:[%228237/06%22],%22itemid%22:[%22001–158535%22]}.
  12. provadzhennia abo yoho okremyh materialiv, vtrachenykh na stadii dosudovoho rozsliduvannia ta sudovoho rozghliadu)” [Draft of the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine (Concerning Improvement of the Procedure of Restoration of Criminal Proceedings, or Separate Records Thereof, Lost on the Stage of Pre-trial Investigation and Trial)]” No. 6580 of June 12, 2017. Accessed June 20, 2018. http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/zweb2/webproc4_1?pf3511=62007.
  13. Protocol No. 7 of November 22, 1984, to Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Accessed September 10, 2018, http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/994_804.
  14. Romaniuk, Andriy B. “Problemni pytannia pravovoho rehuliuvannia vidnovlennia vtrachenykh materialiv kryminalnoho provadzhennia v Ukraini [Challenges of Legal Regulation of Restoration of Records of Criminal Proceedings in Ukraine].”
  15. Naukovi pratsi Natsionalnoho Universytetu “Odeska Yurydychna Akademiia” 11 (2012): 438–445.
  16. Tertyshnyk, Volodymyr. M. Naukovo-praktychnyi komentar kryminalnoho protsesualnoho kodeksu Ukrainy [Annotated Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine]. Kyiv: Pravova yednist, 2017.
  17. Vronska, Anna. “Shcho neobkhidno znaty pro vnutrishniu orhanizatsiu, format rishen ta systematyzatsiu sudovoi praktyky Verkhovnoho Sudu? [What You Should Know About Internal Structure, Format of Decisions and Systematization of Case Law of the Supreme Court?].” Accessed September 10, 2018. http://jurliga.ligazakon.ua/news/2018/2/23/168669.htm.
  18. Vysnovok Holovnoho naukovo-ekspertnoho upravlinnia Aparatu Verkhovnoii Rady Ukrainy na proekt Zakonu Ukrainy “Pro vnesennia zmin do kryminalnoho protsesualnoho kodeksu Ukrainy (shchodo vdoskonalennia poriadku vidnovlennia kryminalnoho provadzhennia abo yoho okremyh materialiv, vtrachenykh na stadiakh dosudovoho rozsliduvannia ta sudovoho rozhliadu)” [Conclusion of the Chief Office for Research and Evaluation of the Administration of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the draft of the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine (Concerning Improvement of the Procedure of Restoration of Criminal Proceedings, or Separate Records Thereof, Lost on the Stage of Pre-trial Investigation and Trial)]” No. 6580 of June 12, 2017. Accessed June 20, 2018. http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/zweb2/webproc4_1?pf3511=62007. https://doi.org/10.16926/gea.2015.01.04
  19. Vysnovok Komitetu Verkhovnoi Rady Ukraiiny z pytan pravovoi polityky ta pravosuddia shchodo proektu Zakonu pro vnesennia zmin do kryminalnoho protsesualnoho kodeksu Ukrainy (shchodo vdoskonalennia poriadku vidnovlennia kryminalnoho provadzhennia abo yoho okremyh materialiv, vtrachenykh na stadiakh dosudovoho rozsliduvannia ta sudovoho rozghliadu) [Conclusion of the Committee of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Legal Policy and Justice on the draft of the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine (Concerning Improvement of the Procedure of Restoration of Criminal Proceedings, or Separate Records Thereof, Lost on the Stage of Pre-trial Investigation and Trial] No. 6580 of June 12, 2017. Accessed June 20, 2018. http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/zweb2/webproc4_1?pf3511=62007. https://doi.org/10.2753/rsd1061-0014440406
  20. Zakon Ukrainy “Pro sudoustrii i status suddiv” [Law of Ukraine “On the Judiciary and Status of Judges,”] of July 7, 2010. Accessed on June 20, 2018. http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2453–17.
  21. Zakon Ukrainy “Pro vnesennia zmin do Hospodarkoho protsesualnoho kodeksu Ukrainy, Tsyvilnoho protsesualnoho kodeksu Ukrainy, Kodeksu administratyvnoho sudochynstva Ukrainy ta inshykh zakonodavchykh aktiv” [Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Economic Procedure Code of Ukraine, Civil Procedure Code of Ukraine, Administrative Procedure Code of Ukraine, and Other Legislative Acts”] of October 3, 2017, No. 2147-VIII. Accessed June 10, 2018, http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2147–19. https://doi.org/10.16926/gea.2015.01.04

Downloads

Published

2018-12-27

How to Cite

Basysta, I., & Galagan, V. (2018). Problems of Adherence by Ukraine to International Commitments in Resolution of Cases in Trials that Took Place in Temporarily Occupied Territories. Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal, (4), 119–135. https://doi.org/10.18523/kmlpj153256.2018-4.119-135

Issue

No. 4 (2018): Kyiv-Mohyla Law & Politics Journal

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2018 Iryna Basysta, Volodymyr Galagan

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal provides free access to original research without restriction barriers (i.e. subscription fees, licensing fees etc.).

Unless otherwise indicated, content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, which means you are free to:

distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially

...provided that any use is made with attribution to author(s) and Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal.

The copyright in the article or any other submission to Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal shall remain with the author(s).

The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright without restrictions and will retain publishing rights without restrictions.