OPORA's office in Chernivtsi has received an answer from the regional prosecutor's office in Chernivtsi regarding possible violations of electoral legislation and abuses committed by officials of state executive bodies and oblast local self-government during electoral process in 2012. The letter says that criminal proceedings were opened on the basis of facts provided in OPORA's appeal.
According to the press-secretary of prosecutor in Chernivtsi oblast Lesia Fedorenko, two criminal proceedings have already been registered for today. One of them is investigated by the regional prosecutor's office in Chernivtsi – concerning abuses of power committed by officials of Chernivtsi OSA during 2012 Parliamentary elections in Ukraine (CCU 364(1)).
Another criminal proceeding over abuses during 2012 elections was directed to bodies of internal affairs for investigation.
According to the Criminal Code of Ukraine, abuses of power or office, i.e. intentional use of powers or official position by an official by lucrative impulse, in personal interests or in interest of third persons, contrary to the service interests and causing considerable damage to the legal rights, freedoms and personal interests of citizens, state or citizen interests, or interests of legal entities, shall be punished by corrective labor for up to two years or detention for up to six months, or imprisonment for up to three years, with no right to hold the certain positions or be involved into the certain activities for up to three years.
We remind that on 25 February 2014, Chernivtsi office of Civil Network OPORA appealed to the prosecutor's office in Chernivtsi oblast, asking to investigate more than 30 facts of electoral violations, reported by OPORA's observer during 2012 Parliamentary elections.
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