Ukraine prosecutor requests criminal charges against top oligarch

Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko submitted on Nov. 3 a request to parliament that criminal charges be filed against MP Vadim Novinsky for conspiring to usurp church authority and conspiring in the unlawful captivity of a church official. In particular, Novinsky is accused of conspiring with former President Yanukovych to replace the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate in 2013. As part of that process, a captive form of isolation was imposed on the church head’s assistant for nine months.

The parliamentary rules committee responded by stating it will review the request for criminal charges during the next week. The request comes almost a week after Lutsenko announced he is asking parliament to remove Novinsky’s political immunity, a standard step before criminal charges are filed. Novinsky ranks tenth among Ukraine’s wealthiest citizens with assets estimated at USD 546 mln, according to an annual survey performed by the nv.ua news site. 

Zenon Zawada: The Poroshenko administration seems to have several rules for pursuing criminal charges against influential people. Firstly, the charges must target the accused’s lesser crimes. Secondly, the charges involve someone with low public support. Thirdly, the charges must target someone who is politically expendable. That is, either the target has no backing of an influential political party, or has ties to the pro-Russian forces.

Another pattern is visible. Every few months, the Poroshenko administration sees the need to make a criminal spectacle out of a mid-tier politician or businessman, partly to quench the public thirst for some justice, partly to make it seem as though there is some anti-corruption battle taking place. In this latest spectacle, Novinsky is an extremely convenient target because he is both a wealthy oligarch and outspoken with his pro-Russian views. These two criteria are held in lowest regard by the average Ukrainian.

So all we are left with is repeating our standard position in these situations: it’s positive that the government is pursuing criminal charges against influential people, but these charges should target the more serious crimes than the lesser ones. Additionally, this process should be occurring on a systemic basis – with the law being applied equally without bias – in order for the West to be convinced that rule of law is taking shape in Ukraine.