The Militia in Ukraine

1. What law regulates the operation of the militia in Ukraine?

The operation of the militia in Ukraine is regulated by the “Law on Militia” adopted in 1990 by the Verkhovna Rada.

2. What is the Militia?

The militia is a state military organ of the executive power, protecting life, health, rights and freedoms of citizens, property, environment, interests of the society and the state against criminal encroachment.

3. What are the basic tasks of the militia?

The militia should: - ensure personal security of citizens, protect their rights and freedoms and legislative interests; - prevent violations of public order; - protect and ensure public order; - expose and disclose crimes and search for the persons, committing them; - ensure safety of the traffic; - protect property against criminal encroachments; - execute criminal punishments; - render social and legal help to citizens.

4. What are the principles of the operation of the militia?

The operation of the militia is based on the principles of legality, humanism, respect for the person, social justice, interrelation with the collectives of workers, public organizations and population.

5. What is the organizational structure of the militia?

The militia is a unified system of the organs, included into the structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The militia exercises administrative, preventive, criminal and procedural functions. The militia consists of the following departments:

• criminal militia;

• militia of public security;

• local militia;

• militia of transport;

• militia of safeguard;

• court militia;

• special militia.

6. What are the basic duties of the militia?

The militia should:

• ensure security of citizens and public order;

• expose, prevent, stop and disclose the crimes and take all necessary measures, provided for by national legislation;

• take and register all applications about crimes and administrative violations;

• carry out pretrial investigations and prepare the materials of the case for a court hearing.

29 duties of the officers of the militia are listed in the “Law on Militia.”

In order to perform these duties, the officers of the militia are given some rights. The list of these rights is specified in Article 11 of the “Law on Militia.” This list consists of 31 rights.

7. What qualities should the officers of the militia possess to carry out their tasks?

To carry out their tasks the officers of the militia should have a profound knowledge of laws, a high cultural level and a broad outlook on life.

8. Where are these qualities acquired?

These qualities are acquired at specialized secondary and higher legal educational establishments.

Investigation Departments in Ukraine

Vocabulary

pretrial investigation – досудове слідство / досудебное расследование

murder – вбивство / убийство

rape – зґвалтування / изнасилование

bribery – хабарництво / взяточничество

robbery – пограбування / грабёж

armed robbery – розбій / разбой

burglary – крадіжка зі зломом / кража со взломом

embezzlement – розтрата / растрата

malfeasance – посадовий злочин / должностное преступление

extortion – вимагання / вымогательство

blackmail – шантаж / шантаж

assault and battery – образа дією / оскорбление действием

larceny – крадіжка / кража

juvenile delinquency – злочинність неповнолітніх / преступность несовершеннолетних

vagrancy – жебракування / бродяжничество

drunk driving – керування автомобілем у нетверезому стані / управление автотранспортным средством в состоянии алкогольного опьянения

violations of public order – порушення громадського порядку / нарушение общественного порядка

swindling – шахрайство / мошенничество

treason – державна зрада / государственная измена

smuggling – контрабанда / контрабанда

kidnapping – викрадення людей / похищение людей

trafficking in drugs – торгівля наркотиками / торговля наркотиками

trafficking in people – торгівля людьми / торговля людьми

counterfeiting – фальшивомонетництво / фальшивомонетничество

tax evasion – ухилення від сплати податків / уклонение от уплаты налогов

taxation – оподаткування / налогообложение

testimony of witnesses – показання свідкiв / показания свидетелей

the injured party – потерпіла сторона / потерпевшая сторона

suspects – підозрювані / подозреваемые

to summon – викликати / вызывать

to detain –затримати / задерживать

to order expert investigation – призначати експертизу / назначать экспертизу

indictment – обвинувальний висновок / обвинительное заключение

1. What is the structure of the bodies of pretrial investigation in Ukraine?

In accordance with Ukrainian Legislation, the Procurator’s Office of Ukraine, the Ministry of the Interior, Tax Militia and Security Service have their own investigation departments.

2. What is the competence of the investigator from the Procurator’s Office?

Investigators from the procurator’s office have the right to investigate any case but in actual fact they investigate the gravest crimes, such as: murder, rape, bribery, robbery, armed robbery, embezzlement, burglary, malfeasance, extortion, blackmail.

3. What crimes are investigated by the investigators from the Ministry of Interior?

Investigators from the Ministry of Interior investigate, usually less dangerous crimes such as: assault and battery, larceny, juvenile delinquency, vagrancy, vandalism, drunk driving, violations of public order, hooliganism, and swindling.

4. What cases are investigated by the investigators from Security Service of Ukraine?

Investigators from Security Service of Ukraine investigate cases of espionage, treason, smuggling, kidnapping, terrorism, counterfeiting, trafficking in drugs and trafficking in people.

5. What crimes are investigated by the investigators from Tax Militia?

Investigators from Tax Militia investigate cases of tax evasion and other violations in the sphere of taxation.

6. What should the investigator, the procurator and the court establish?

The investigator, the procurator and the court should establish the facts in the case from the testimony of witnesses, the injured parties, suspects, accused, and the opinions of experts.

7. What are the actions performed by the investigator in the process of pretrial investigation?

The investigator having received information that a crime has been committed inquires as to the persons who may help him to establish the circumstances of the case, and summons them as witnesses. To obtain exhibits the investigator inspects the scene of the crime and makes searches and seizures.

8. At what stage of investigation is the collection of evidence performed?

The collection of evidence before the trial is performed at the stage of pretrial investigation.

9. What is the investigator’s job?

The investigator’s job is to detect crimes, to disclose and expose persons guilty of them.

10. What rights does the investigator have in the process of fulfilling his duties?

The investigator has right to detain a person suspected of a crime. He may question citizens and officials as witnesses to the crime, and order an expert investigation. He may undertake other actions provided for by the criminal procedure code.

11. What is the main task of the investigator?

The main task of the investigator is to prepare the materials of the cases for court hearing.

12. What official document should the investigator draw up at the end of pretrial investigation?

At the end of the pretrial investigation of every criminal case the investigator should draw up the indictment and submit it to the procurator for approval.