What awaits Ukrainians who have received a russian passport in the occupied territories?
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Recently, the russian dictator issued a "decree" according to which citizens with Ukrainian passports are considered foreigners. This means that the occupiers continue to attempt to force passportization. We will tell you what the consequences of this may be under Ukrainian law
The occupied territories of Ukraine continue to live under the influence of the russian terrorist regime. The occupiers continue to repress Ukrainians and force them to give up their legal passports and replace them with a new one - a russian one. Let's find out what consequences await those who accept a passport from the occupiers, and what Ukrainian officials say about this.
What do Ukrainian officials say?
Recently, Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, said that Ukrainian citizens in the occupied territories should take a russian passport and leave. He noted that such a step would help people save their lives.
"I think that all Ukrainian citizens who refuse to take a russian passport will simply be arrested. And this will be a separate category of civilian hostages whom russia will keep captive, imprisoned on its territory or on the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine", - he explained.
The Ombudsman advises residents of the occupied territories to "take a passport, survive and wait for us to liberate the territory".
At the same time, the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Iryna Vereshchuk, expressed a completely opposite opinion. She urged Ukrainians not to cooperate with the occupiers and not to take russian passports.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the Presidential Office, tried to judge Dmytro Lubinets and Iryna Vereshchuk. He wrote that both opinions have a right to life.
According to him, if citizens in the occupied territories have the option of not obtaining a russian passport, then let them not. At the same time, if a passport is necessary to avoid repression and torture, then such people will not be prosecuted.
What does the law of Ukraine say?
Ukrainian legislation does not currently stipulate any liability for civilians receiving russian passports under occupation. At the same time, it is worth noting that the government has established liability for officials for forcing people to obtain russian passports in the russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.
The draft law provides for imprisonment for a term of 10 to 15 years for Ukrainian civil servants who have received a russian passport. Forcing Ukrainian citizens to obtain a russian passport, the term is 8 to 12 years.
According to lawyers, passports issued in the occupied territories are not recognized by Ukraine and are not grounds for losing Ukrainian citizenship. Therefore, residents of such territories remain Ukrainian citizens even after forced passportization.
As you know, the russian dictator issued a "decree" according to which Ukrainian citizens who did not accept russian citizenship during the occupation may be deported from the country.
It is worth noting that such a step by the russians could be used to mobilize the local population into the ranks of the russian army. However, we should not forget that such mobilization violates international humanitarian law and is a war crime.
If the occupiers are trying to mobilize Ukrainians who have received a russian passport, such persons should avoid conscription by all means and try to leave the occupied territories.
However, if you or someone you know has been forcibly mobilized to the TOT, you should contact the hotline of the I Want to Live project.
The only center for receiving requests for surrender is Telegram and WhatsApp:
+380 95 68 86 888;
+380 93 68 86 888;
+380 97 68 86 888.
For calls:
+380 44 35 08 917;
688 (only from Ukrainian numbers);
Chatbot t.me/spasisebyabot.
We remind you! Russia is spending huge financial resources on the war against Ukraine. Read more about how much longer the russian economy will be able to finance the war effort in our article.
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