President Volodymyr Zelensky signed Law No. 15225, which equalizes the rights of military personnel from among former convicts to other defenders of Ukraine.
This is stated in the law card on the website of the Verkhovna Rada.
The law improves military service for people who have been paroled to serve under a contract. After one year of service, such servicemen will be entitled to 30 days of annual leave. They will also be able to take additional leave for family reasons and other valid reasons — up to 10 calendar days.
Currently, former convicts are only allowed to serve in specialized units. After a year of service, they will be allowed to transfer to other units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The document also proposes to expand the list of grounds for such military personnel to terminate their contracts and resign from service. The Verkhovna Rada adopted Law No. 15225 in July. In total, since May 2024, more than 12 000 people from places of imprisonment have joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- On May 17, 2024, Zelensky signed a law that allows convicted prisoners to voluntarily mobilize into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The law allows prisoners to be released on parole (by court decision) for military service under a contract.
- However, only those sentenced to restrictions or imprisonment for minor offenses can use this opportunity. At the same time, those convicted of the intentional murder of two or more people, rape, sexual violence, terrorism, and treason will not be able to mobilize. Also, those convicted of violating traffic rules while intoxicated and for especially serious corruption crimes will not be allowed to replace their punishment with the opportunity to fight.
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