What is military law and how it works in Ukraine

1426 0
In 2021, the legislation on martial law was significantly changed. Key innovations have been in effect since January 1 this year.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine after the Russian attack and shelling of all regions. In the morning, the Russian president announced the start of an operation against Ukraine. 

At 5 am, shelling of strategic facilities began in almost all regions of Ukraine. There was also an attack on border guards along the border with Russia and Belarus. Earlier, Russia recognized the independence of the DNR and LNR and announced that it would send troops there to «maintain peace.» On February 23, militant leaders asked Putin for help.

According to the BBC. Ukraine, in 2021 the legislation on martial law has changed significantly. Key innovations have been in effect since January 1 this year. Now, in the event of martial law, the military leadership will be able, for example, to introduce a special regime of objects of state importance and objects of life (schools, hospitals, boilers, etc.), introduce compulsory labour for citizens and forcibly alienate their property for defense.

Security forces will be able to freely check citizens and conduct searches of their homes and vehicles on the orders of the commandant of a certain territory. In addition, they may impose a curfew and ban the sale of alcoholic beverages. The military leadership also has the power to prohibit the departure of citizens from a certain area, or, conversely, to announce their evacuation.

Martial law provides for the possibility of restricting the use of mobile communications and the transmission of information over computer networks. If citizens or organizations violate this requirement, the security forces will be able to take away their equipment. 

Ukrainian law enforcement officers will be able to intern, that is, forcibly relocated the citizens of the «aggressor state», namely Russia as it’s recognised in Ukrainian law.

At the same time, martial law cannot be a reason to restrict the activities of courts and judicial bodies. This is one of the innovations that has started this year. As before, the law provides for the possibility of mobilizing citizens. Organizational issues of conscription will be entrusted to military administrations.

A specific list of restrictions is specified in the presidential decree on the imposition of martial law and approved by parliament.

Today, the President has suspended the following articles of the Constitution:

Article 30. Everyone is guaranteed the inviolability of the home.

Article 31. Everyone is guaranteed the secrecy of correspondence, telephone conversations, telegraph and other correspondence.

Article 32. No one may interfere in his personal and family life.

The collection, storage, use and dissemination of confidential information about a person without his or her consent is not permitted.

Article 33. Everyone who is lawfully on the territory of Ukraine is guaranteed freedom of movement, free choice of residence, the right to leave the territory of Ukraine freely.

Article 34. Everyone is guaranteed the right to freedom of thought and speech, to free expression of their views and beliefs.

Article 38. Citizens have the right to participate in the management of state affairs, in all-Ukrainian and local referendums, to freely elect and be elected to bodies of state power and bodies of local self-government.

Article 39. Citizens have the right to assemble peacefully, without weapons and to hold meetings, rallies, marches and demonstrations, the holding of which is notified in advance to the executive authorities or local self-government bodies.

Article 41. Everyone has the right to own, use and dispose of their property, the results of their intellectual and creative activities.

Article 42. Everyone has the right to entrepreneurial activity, which is not prohibited by law.

Article 43. Everyone has the right to work, which includes the opportunity to earn a living by work which he freely chooses or freely agrees to.

Article 44. Those who work have the right to strike to protect their economic and social interests.

Article 53. Everyone has the right to education.

Translated by Vitalii Holich

You can read a Ukrainian language version of this story here.

Follow Lviv Now on Facebook and Instagram. To receive our weekly email digest of stories, please follow us on Substack.

Lviv Now is an English-language website for Lviv, Ukraine’s «tech-friendly cultural hub.» It is produced by Tvoe Misto («Your City») media-hub, which also hosts regular problem-solving public forums to benefit the city and its people.

 



Читайте також:
+
Щодня наша команда працює над тим, щоб інформувати Вас про найважливіше в місті та області. За роки своєї праці ми довели, що «Твоє місто» - це медіа, якому справді можна довіряти. Долучіться до Спільноти Прихильників «Твого міста» та збережіть незалежне медіа для громади. Кожен внесок має значення!