Date: 2019-03-05Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/354 of 4 March 2019 amending Decision 2014/119/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Ukraine
Executive Summary:
Council Decision CFSP 2019/354, issued on March 4, 2019, amends Decision 2014/119/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against certain individuals and entities in view of the situation in Ukraine. The restrictive measures have been extended until March 6, 2020. The decision also removes one person from the list of sanctioned individuals and supplements the Annex with information regarding rights of defence and effective judicial protection.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Extension of Restrictive Measures:**
* The application of restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities, and bodies is extended until March 6, 2020.
* **Amendment to Annex of Decision 2014/119/CFSP:**
* Andrii Petrovych Kliuiev is removed from the list of sanctioned individuals.
* A section is added, outlining the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial protection under the Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine, specifically referencing Articles 42, 306, and 309.
* Information is provided demonstrating that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial protection of the following individuals were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied:
* Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych
* Vitalli Yuriyovych Zakharchenko
* Viktor Pavlovych Pshonka
* Viktor Ivanovych Ratushniak
* Oleksandr Viktorovych Yanukovych
* Artem Viktorovych Pshonka
* Mykola Yanovych Azarov
* Serhiy Vitalyovych Kurchenko
* Dmytro Volodymyrovych Tabachnyk
* Serhiy Hennadiyovych Arbuzov
* Oleksandr Viktorovych Klymenko
* Edward Stavytskyi
Impact Analysis:
* **European Council:**
* *Impact:* The Council is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the amended decision.
* *Action Required:* Ensure the updated list of sanctioned individuals and entities is enforced until March 6, 2020.
* **Sanctioned Individuals and Entities (excluding Andrii Petrovych Kliuiev):**
* *Impact:* Continued restrictions on their assets and movements within the EU. The document affirms that their rights to defence and effective judicial protection have been respected in related criminal proceedings.
* *Action Required:* Monitor the restrictive measures and ensure compliance. Note the details provided regarding the rights of defence and judicial protection.
* **EU Member States:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for implementing the sanctions at the national level.
* *Action Required:* Update national regulations to reflect the changes, including the extended deadline and the removal of Andrii Petrovych Kliuiev from the list.
* **European Union Courts:**
* *Impact:* May be involved in legal challenges related to the sanctions.
* *Action Required:* Consider the information provided regarding the rights of defence and judicial protection in any legal proceedings related to these sanctions.
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
Council Decision CFSP 2019/354: Council Decision CFSP 2019/354 of 4 March 2019 amending Decision 2014/119/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Ukraine
Decision 2014/119/CFSP: Council Decision 2014/119/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Ukraine, which is being amended.
Ukraine: A country in Eastern Europe, the focus of the restrictive measures mentioned in the decision.
Andrii Petrovych Kliuiev: A person whose entry is deleted from the list of persons subject to restrictive measures.
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych: A person subject to criminal proceedings in Ukraine and included in the list.
Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine: The legal framework governing criminal proceedings in Ukraine, referenced in the context of rights of defence and judicial protection.
Brussels: The city where the Council Decision was adopted.
5.3.2019 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 64/7
DECISIONS
COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2019/354
of 4 March 2019
amending Decision 2014/119/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain
persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Ukraine
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Whereas:
(1) On 5 March 2014 the Council adopted Decision 2014/119/CFSP (1).
(2) On the basis of a review of Decision 2014/119/CFSP, the application of restrictive measures directed against
certain persons, entities and bodies should be extended until 6 March 2020, the entry for one person should be
deleted and the Annex should be supplemented with information regarding the rights of defence and the right to
effective judicial protection.
(3) Decision 2014/119/CFSP should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Decision 2014/119/CFSP is amended as follows:
(1) in Article 5, the second paragraph is replaced by the following:
‘This Decision shall apply until 6 March 2020.’;
(2) the Annex is amended as set out in the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 4 March 2019.
For the Council
The President
A. ANTON
(1) Council Decision 2014/119/CFSP of 5 March 2014 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies
in view of the situation in Ukraine (OJ L 66, 6.3.2014, p. 26).L 64/8 EN Official Journal of the European Union 5.3.2019
ANNEX
The Annex to Decision 2014/119/CFSP is amended as follows:
(1) the section ‘List of persons, entities and bodies referred to in Article 1’ is amended as follows:
(a) the heading is replaced by the following:
‘A. List of persons, entities and bodies referred to in Article 1’;
(b) the entry for the following person is deleted from the list:
5. Andrii Petrovych Kliuiev.
(2) the following section is added:
‘B. Rights of defence and right to effective judicial protection
The rights of defence and the right to effective judicial protection under the Code of Criminal Procedure of
Ukraine
Article 42 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine (“Code of Criminal Procedure”) provides that every
person who is suspected or accused in criminal proceedings enjoys rights of defence and the right to effective
judicial protection. These include: the right to be informed of the criminal offence of which he has been
suspected or accused; the right to be informed, expressly and promptly, of his rights under the Code of Criminal
Procedure; the right to have, when first requested, access to a defence lawyer; the right to present petitions for
procedural actions; and the right to challenge decisions, actions and omissions by the investigator, the public
prosecutor and the investigating judge. Article 306 of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides that complaints
against decisions, acts or omissions of the investigator or public prosecutor must be considered by an investi
gating judge of a local Court in the presence of the complainant or his defence lawyer or legal representative. In
addition, Article 309 of the Code of Criminal Procedure specifies the decisions of investigating judges that may
be challenged on appeal, and that other decisions may be subject to judicial review in the course of preparatory
proceedings in Court. Moreover, a number of procedural investigating actions are only possible subject to
a ruling by the investigating judge or a Court (e.g. seizure of property under Article 164, and measures of
detention under Article 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure).
Application of the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial protection of each of the listed persons
1. Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Yanukovych were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This
is demonstrated in particular by a number of Court decisions relating to the seizure of property and by
a Court decision of 1 November 2018 granting permission for the arrest and summoning and bringing of
the suspected to the Court, as well as by a decision of the investigating judge of 8 October 2018 refusing
the prosecutor's application for a special pre-trial investigation in absentia.
2. Vitalli Yuriyovych Zakharchenko
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Zakharchenko were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied.
This is demonstrated in particular by the decisions of the investigating judge of 21 May 2018 and of
23 November 2018 granting permission to detain Mr Zakharchenko with the purpose of bringing him to
the Court to participate in hearing the petition for the application of detention in custody.
3. Viktor Pavlovych Pshonka
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Pshonka were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This is
demonstrated in particular by the decisions of the investigating judge of 12 March 2018 and of 13 August
2018 granting permission to detain Mr Pshonka with the purpose of bringing him to the Court to
participate in hearing the petition for the application of detention in custody.5.3.2019 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 64/9
6. Viktor Ivanovych Ratushniak
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Ratushniak were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This is
demonstrated in particular by the decisions of the investigating judge of 21 May 2018 and of 23 November
2018 granting permission to detain Mr Ratushniak with the purpose of bringing him to the Court to
participate in hearing the petition for the application of detention in custody.
7. Oleksandr Viktorovych Yanukovych
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Yanukovych were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This
is demonstrated in particular by the decision of the investigating judge of 7 February 2018 refusing the
prosecutor's application for a special pre-trial investigation in absentia, by a number Court decisions relating
to the seizures of property and by the decision of the investigating judge of 27 June 2018 cancelling the
resolution of the prosecution refusing to grant the motion of defence for closing the investigation.
9. Artem Viktorovych Pshonka
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Pshonka were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This is
demonstrated in particular by the decisions of the investigating judge of 12 March 2018 and of 13 August
2018 granting permission to detain Mr Pshonka with the purpose of bringing him to the Court to
participate in hearing the petition for the application of detention in custody.
11. Mykola Yanovych Azarov
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence of and the right to effective judicial
protection Mr Azarov were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This is
demonstrated in particular by the decision of the investigating judge of 8 September 2018 granting
permission for a special investigation in absentia as well as by the decision of the investigating judge of
16 August 2018 granting permission to detain Mr Azarov with the purpose of bringing him to the Court to
participate in hearing the petition for the application of detention in custody, as well as by a number of
Court decisions relating to the seizures of property.
12. Serhiy Vitalyovych Kurchenko
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Kurchenko were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This is
demonstrated in particular by the decision of the investigating judge of 7 March 2018 granting permission
for a special investigation in absentia.
13. Dmytro Volodymyrovych Tabachnyk
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Tabachnyk were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This is
demonstrated in particular by the decisions of the investigating judge of 8 May 2018 granting permission to
detain Mr Tabachnyk with the purpose of bringing him to the Court to participate in hearing the petition
for the application of detention in custody.
15. Serhiy Hennadiyovych Arbuzov
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Arbuzov were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This is
demonstrated in particular by a number of Court decisions relating to the seizures of property as well as
annulment of the property seizures.
17. Oleksandr Viktorovych Klymenko
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Klymenko were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This is
demonstrated in particular by the decision of the investigating judge of 5 October 2018 granting permission
for a special investigation in absentia.L 64/10 EN Official Journal of the European Union 5.3.2019
18. Edward Stavytskyi
The information on the Council's file shows that the rights of defence and the right to effective judicial
protection of Mr Stavytskyi were respected in the criminal proceedings on which the Council relied. This is
demonstrated by a number of Court decisions relating to the seizure of property, the decision of the investi
gating judge of 22 November 2017 granting permission for a special investigation in absentia, by the
prosecutor's instructions of 2 January 2018 to the investigator to notify the suspects and their defence
lawyers of the completion of the pre-trial investigation and by the fact that on 8 May 2018 the indictment
was referred to the Sviatoshynskyi District Court of Kiev for consideration on the merits. The information
also shows that there was no previous valid decision of the prosecution not to launch a criminal investi
gation, and that the relevant criminal proceedings therefore did not infringe the principle of ne bis in idem.’