Ukrainians forced to obtain Russian passports won’t face legal consequences, says Ukraine’s Justice Ministry
The Ukrainian Ministry of Justice has assured that citizens coerced into obtaining Russian passports in occupied territories will not be held accountable. This decision aims to protect those who faced threats of repression from the occupying authorities.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice has stated that Ukrainian citizens who were forced to obtain Russian passports in occupied territories will not bear any criminal responsibility for collaboration with invaders.
The ministry explained that cases where Russian authorities coerce Ukrainians into obtaining passports under the threat of repression often occur in occupied areas. Therefore, those who received Russian passports to avoid cruel treatment will not be held accountable.
“Article 40 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine says that evidence of psychological pressure ensures citizens full legal protection in court,” the ministry stated.
The Ministry of Justice also reminded that among the measures taken by the Russian aggressor in the territories it controls is the forced Russification of citizens who hold Ukrainian passports.
“Russia inflicts maximum suffering on the civilian population, with possession of a Ukrainian passport is viewed by it as an act of protest. Thus, under challenging living conditions in occupation, local residents are forced to accept Russian citizenship,” the ministry noted.
At the same time, the ministry stated that such documents have no legal validity and are not recognized anywhere except in the occupied territories.
Forced passportization is illegal and not recognized in Ukraine or globally, as it “contradicts the principles and norms of international law and constitutes a violation of the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War,” the ministry added.
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