Yanukovych, Yefremov, Kaletnik and others suspected in the case of “the laws of January 16”

The MPs violated the procedure for forming the agenda, discussing the bills, personal voting, the count of votes.

As the Office of Special Investigations at the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine reports, the investigators state that the leadership of the state and the law enforcement agencies wanted to expand the repressive powers of the law enforcement agencies in an effort to crack down the protests of November – December 2013.

“It should be noted that while passing the laws, necessary for the rule, the fundamental principles of the Ukrainian Parliament were neglected – the procedure for forming the agenda, discussing the bills, personal voting and the count of votes. The former MPs did not scruple to use the voting cards of the absent deputies. When they still lacked votes, they falsified the voting results, having illegally applied the method of vote by show of hands,” reads the statement.

The investigators of the office have gathered enough evidence to suspect the former high-ranking officials of the conduct of illegal vote and falsification of the results, adoption of the laws, which were intended to promote the usurpation of the rule.

Suspicion is announced to former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, first deputy chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ihor Kaletnik, leader of the Party of Regions Oleksandr Yefremov, head of the count commission Volodymyr Oliynyk, secretary and members of the count commission – MPs Serhiy Hordienko, Mykhailo Chechetov, Andriy Pinchuk, Oleksandr Stoyan, Yarsolav Sukhyi and others.

The court will give final assessment of their actions. The proceeding was closed after the suicide of Mykhailo Chechetov. Eight suspects are hiding from the investigation and have been put on wanted list.

As a reminder, the laws adopted on January 16 were called “dictatorial” by Ukrainians. The laws stipulated the possibility to recognize the actions of the activists as extremist and to establish strict liability for:

– Holding of rallies and demonstrations with the use of masking means, setting up of tents without coordination with the law enforcement agencies;

– Helping the demonstrators by providing them with premises and vehicles;

– Moving in the row for more than five vehicles without coordination with the police;

– Media activities without accreditation and so on.