Verkhovna Rada prepared to humanize the penal system
238 National Deputies (236 votes were needed) voted on Tuesday to pass through its second reading the draft law “On amendments to the Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes on humanizing criminal liability.
The draft law envisages giving courts more scope for passing individual sentences taking into account the specific features of the crime, as well as passing lighter sentences on minors, reducing the number of offences which involve criminal liability and expanding alternative types of punishment for crimes committed under aggravated circumstances.
The law envisages broadening the scope for releasing people from criminal liability if they show repentance or if the perpetrator is reconciled with the victim where the offence was committed through carelessness.
The law also expands the number of types of sentences, in place of deprivation of liberty which will be used by the courts and supplements the number of circumstances regarded as mitigating.
The draft law was drawn up by the Ministry of Justice and approved by the government committee on legal policy and defence.
Humanization of the penal system is one of Ukraines obligations to the Council of Europe.