Ukrainian MPs supported the bill in the first reading, allowing specific categories of convicts to join the Armed Forces.
Bill on the mobilisation of convicts
MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported that during the meeting on April 10, bill No. 11079-1 on the mobilisation of convicted persons was adopted.
In the first reading, the draft law was supported by 281 parliamentarians.
A second reading awaits the bill ahead.
What is known about the bill on the mobilisation of convicts
The authors of the draft law note that adopting the law will ensure the creation of additional opportunities for staffing the Armed Forces and motivate the convicts to "correct and fulfil the duty of repelling armed aggression against Ukraine."
Persons who committed:
criminal offences related to the intentional killing of two or more persons or combined with rape or sexual violence
criminal offences against a person's sexual freedom and sexual integrity (rape, sexual violence, molestation of minors, etc.),
crimes related to terrorist activities,
violation of traffic rules while intoxicated, which caused the death of several people.
According to Deputy Minister of Justice Olena Vysotska, the mmobilisationpotential currently includes about 26,000 convicts and people with a criminal record who have already served their sentence — about 50,000 of them.
According to her, those serving a sentence will be allowed to be released on parole if they sign a contract with the Armed Forces.
Exceptions will be those convicted under articles against national security, against statehood, collaborators, traitors, and war crimes.
