PM Groysman: Government to initiate abolition of ‘Savchenko law’

Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman says the government will soon initiate abolition or amendments to so-called “Savchenko law” which equates one day in a remand prison to two days in prison.

He said this on the air of ICTV Ukrainian TV channel.

“I consider that the law, which was submitted to the Ukrainian parliament and which simplified the responsibility of criminals (…), has enabled tens of thousands of criminals to go at large. Majority of these people have been released under the so-called ‘Savchenko law.’ These people are released and they again kill, loot, rape, and so on,” Groysman said.

He said that the government would soon initiate abolition or amendments to the “Savchenko law.”

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine also intends to initiate the allocation of UAH 330 million to increase salaries to criminal investigation department employees.

As reported, First Deputy Head of the National Police of Ukraine Vadym Troyan informed on September 15 that 34,000 prisoners were to be released this year under the so-called “Savchenko law.”

 President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed the so-called “Savchenko law” on December 23, 2015.

Earlier, the “Donetsk Memorial” human rights organization told the Human Rights Information Centre that the initiative of the authorities to amend the said law had been a threat to the basic principles of human rights.