Donetsk, Feb 22 - DAN. The Donbass ‘reintegration’ law signed by the Ukrainian president exonerates Ukrainian forces of crimes committed in the region; in response, DPR will set up People’s Tribunal to deal with them, DPR Head Alexander Zakharchenko told reporters on Thursday.
“The ‘reintegration’ law legalises war crimes, excuses gunmen’s actions and allows to freely violate the Ukrainian Constitution and basic laws,” Zakharchenko said. “In response, we’ll establish People’s Tribunal to pass judgement on gunmen’s actions.”
On 20 February, Ukrainian President Petr Poroshenko signed the law “On the peculiarities of state policy on the restoration of the state sovereignty of Ukraine over the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine” (so called Donbass ‘reintegration’ law). Ukraine’s Verkhovnaya Rada (parliament) approved its final reading by 280 votes on 18 January.
The document recognises Donbass areas as ‘occupied’ territories and calls Russia an “aggressor country.” A majority of lawyers believe that ‘reintegration’ essential means legal approval of the use of force in the region for resolving the conflict, which contradicts the Minsk Agreements aimed at a peaceful settlement. *jk