Ukraine's parliament passes law on investigation procedures against MPs

A total of 291 MPs voted for the document at a parliament meeting on Wednesday, according to am Ukrinform correspondent.

The explanatory note to the bill reads that the law brings some laws into conformity with the Constitution of Ukraine, which will ensure the cancellation of parliamentary immunity.

The law amends the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine by excluding clauses on parliamentary immunity. At the same time, it is proposed to provide for the peculiarities of the beginning of a pretrial investigation, detention and the selection of a measure of restraint against an MP, as well as conducting investigation (search) procedures and covert investigation (search) procedures against an MP.

It is forbidden to order that a pretrial investigation into a criminal offense committed by a people's deputy be carried out by other pretrial investigation bodies, except for the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the central office of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) in accordance with their jurisdiction.

The law enters into force on the day following the day of its publication, but not earlier than the day of entry into force of the law introducing amendments to Article 80 of the Constitution of Ukraine regarding the immunity of people's deputies of Ukraine.

On September 3, the Verkhovna Rada adopted at second reading a law introducing amendments to Article 80 of the Constitution of Ukraine (concerning the immunity of people's deputies of Ukraine). A total of 373 MPs voted in favor of the law, with a minimum of 300 needed. The law will come into force on January 1. The document abolishes the provisions under which Ukrainian MPs are guaranteed parliamentary immunity and the impossibility of being held criminally liable without the consent of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

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