350 convicts released to serve in Ukrainian army
About 350 convicts who have chosen to enlist in the military have been released from Ukrainian prisons.
Source: Denys Maliuska, Ukraine’s Minister of Justice, in an interview with The New York Times, recorded on Friday
Details: Maliuska said about 350 prisoners have already been released as a result of a law passed last week that permits criminals to serve in the military in exchange for the chance to be granted parole upon completion of their service.
The ministry claims that the majority of the 4,300 applications that offenders have filed thus far are already being reviewed by the judiciary.
He projects that up to 20,000 prisoners and people remanded in custody pending trial will be able to enlist in the army.
Maliuska made it clear that a person found guilty of a single murder could be released, provided that there were no aggravating factors, such sexual assault, involved in the crime.
Background:
- On 8 May, the Verkhovna Rada backed a bill in the second reading that would allow the voluntary mobilisation of certain categories of prisoners. Those who have committed premeditated murder, rapists and paedophiles, corrupt officials, those who have committed crimes against the foundations of Ukraine's national security, and those who have held a particularly responsible position, including MPs and ministers, cannot be drafted into the ranks of the Defence Forces.
- All other prisoners who could potentially enlist would be subject to the same condition: they must have no more than three years of their sentence left to serve.
- Ukrainian Justice Minister Denys Maliuska asserted his belief that 10,000 to 20,000 convicts could be conscripted from the prison system, not least because Ukraine's detention facilities are overcrowded.
- On 21 May, it was reported that more than 3,000 Ukrainian convicts had applied for conditional early release to participate in the defence of Ukraine.
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