First of all, it is not the convicts who may be mobilized, but those with a criminal record, including corruptionists. This was stated by Minister of Justice Denys Malyuska in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
"It is more interesting to start not so much with convicts as with those who have a criminal record. These are the people who have already been released from prison or have never even been imprisoned. According to the law, they cannot be mobilized," said Malyuska.
As for the convicts, Malyuska suggested that those convicted of serious crimes could also be mobilized: "It depends on what is considered a serious crime". In particular, corrupt officials.
"It seems to me that corrupt officials can be sent to war with no problem," the minister said.
He believes that they are often patriots, "but their patriotism is quite peculiar and they are greedy." He added that most people in Ukraine have given bribes.
As a reminder, the parliamentary committee recommended that the draft law on strengthening mobilization should allow convicts who have been sentenced without actually serving time in the penitentiary system (either convicts with a suspended sentence or those who are physically free) to be mobilized. As well as persons who are in prison, except for persons convicted of crimes against the foundations of national security, against sexual freedom and some other most sensitive crimes.
