The Cyprus Democratic Lawyers Association (CDLA) has commented on the Conclusion of the Criminal Proceedings Against Former Ukrainian Member of Parliament Oleksandr Hranovskyi.
According to the statement, "The Cyprus Democratic Lawyers Association (CDLA) takes note of the court decision concluding the criminal proceedings against former Ukrainian Member of Parliament Oleksandr Hranovskyi (pictured above), following his exemption from criminal liability on the grounds that the statutory limitation period had expired."
It continues that, "The case attracted the attention of the Cypriot and wider European legal community, as the Association had highlighted it as a notable example of the potential risks arising from the misuse of international criminal cooperation mechanisms in the context of transnational repression. This issue has been the subject of particular attention by the Council of Europe, which has underscored the risks associated with the instrumentalisation of extradition requests and other forms of judicial cooperation for political purposes."
"According to the case file, the Ukrainian authorities alleged that Hranovskyi and his associates used an intermediary company to embezzle £1.6 million from the Odesa Portside Plant in 2015. From the outset, Hranovskyi denied the allegations, maintaining that the evidence against him had been fabricated and asserting his innocence," CDLA's announcement goes on to say.
It also noted that, "During the course of the proceedings, the legal classification of the charges was amended at the initiative of the prosecution. Instead of the original charges under Part 3 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 28, and Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the case was reclassified under Part 1 of Article 344 of the same Code."
As included in CDLA's statement, "The court found that the applicable statutory limitation period had expired and, pursuant to Article 49 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, exempted Hranovskyi from criminal liability, thereby bringing the criminal proceedings to a final conclusion."
"The Cyprus Democratic Lawyers Association reiterates that respect for the rule of law, judicial independence, and the guarantees of a fair trial constitutes a fundamental prerequisite for any process of international criminal cooperation. Cases that raise serious concerns regarding judicial independence and the fair administration of justice must be examined with the utmost care and in accordance with the standards established by the European Convention on Human Rights," the statement concluded.
