You're reading: Constitutional court rules MPs can be criminally investigated without prior approval of Parliament

KYIV, Dec. 12 – The Constitutional Court has announced its decision regarding parliament member immunity from criminal prosecution, which says that investigative actions, such as an arrest or detention, can be conducted against MPs without Parliament’s prior approval, UNIAN reported on Tuesday.

According to judge Mykola Kozyubra, the court adopted this decision following its review of an appeal made to the court by people’s deputies on making changes to the constitution in favor of stronger deputy immunity.

Deputies had wanted the relevant part of the constitution’s Article 80 to read that MPs could not be detained or arrested without Parliament’s prior approval, and before a court’s guilty verdict comes into force.

In April, at the urging of President Leonid Kuchma, a nationwide referendum was held, which offered as one of its points, stripping parliament members of their immunity from criminal prosecution. The majority of the population that voted in the referendum gave this item wide support.