Following an investigation by the SSU, a judge of the Northern Commercial Court of Appeal has been notified of suspicion: while in Kyiv, he was looking forward to the capture of Ukraine by russians. The SSU has collected an exhaustive evidence base: the judge justified the atrocities of the occupiers, spoke disparagingly of Ukrainian defenders and incited his circle to collaborate with the enemy.

Such a posture is a gross violation of the Judge’s Oath, which empowers the person who took it to administer justice on behalf of Ukraine, working to implement the rule of law for the benefit of the entire nation.

The judge has been notified of suspicion under the following Articles of the CCU:

• 436-2.3 (justifying, recognizing as legitimate, denying russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine, glorifying its participants, committed by an official);
• 27.4 and 111-1.7 (inciting to collaboration, in particular to voluntarily occupy a position in illegal law enforcement bodies established in the temporarily occupied territory).

In the course of investigation, the SSU established that this official:

• recognizes russia’s actions related to the invasion of Ukraine as legitimate;
• denies the facts that the occupiers destroyed civil and critical infrastructure facilities, looted, illegally detained locals, forcibly kept them in custody and resorted to torture;
• does not hide his hatred towards the Defence Forces of Ukraine and patriotic citizens;
• shows intolerance towards Ukrainian authorities and condemns the actions of the President of Ukraine in defending the state.

The SSU has records of the judge’s telephone conversations with his family members, relatives and close friends. They prove the anti-Ukrainian position of the person in question.

However, due to the lack of legislative regulation of the functioning of the High Council of Justice (HCJ), it is impossible to detain this suspect, even after notifying of suspicion. This is due to the HCJ being the only entity authorized to grant permission to detain judges.

Hopefully, in the near future the HCJ members will be elected and this body will fully commence its work and, together with other authorized agencies, will act to cleanse the judicial branch.

The SSU Main Directorate for Countering Systemic Threats to State Administration has exposed the official under the procedural supervision of the General Inspection of the Prosecutor General’s Office.