Verkhovna Rada wants to allow the National Guard to use weapons and tear gas against protesters

The Law Enforcement Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported draft law No. 10311, which provides for granting the National Guard the right to use firearms and tear gas against the civilian population during “mass riots.” Consideration of the bill in the session hall is scheduled for next week, informs Anti-corruption Center (CPC).

“The draft law significantly expands the powers of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU). In particular, it gives the NSU practically unlimited rights to use firearms, tear gas, electric shockers, drones and other means of influence, in particular against the civilian population during protest actions.” – the message says.

At the same time, the Central Committee emphasized that the proposed new powers have nothing to do with strengthening the country’s defense, but actually allow “dispersing rallies in the style of the liquidated Berkut unit.”

“If we recall the events of the Revolution of Dignity, the provisions of this project are very similar to the so-called laws of January 16. In simple terms, the National Guard allows the use of firearms after a warning on an electronic board, or to mark potential offenders with special paint to catch those who managed to escape., – said the deputy executive director of the CPK, Olena Shcherban.

Among the dangerous provisions of the draft law, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine considered giving the National Guard the right to use firearms, in particular to stop mass riots. Currently, the current legislation allows the use of firearms by National Guardsmen only in exceptional cases — when repelling an attack on protected objects or in the event of a threat of their capture. The new draft law does not clearly define the limits of the use of firearms by the National Guard.

Another controversial provision concerns the method of warning about the use of force during rallies – through a scoreboard or a loudspeaker. The CPC draws attention to the fact that such a norm does not take into account the possible ineffectiveness of this method in noisy or chaotic conditions of mass events.

“With this interpretation, the draft law actually allows the use of firearms at a distance, which can lead to excessive use of force against innocent persons among the civilian population,” – added to the CPC.