Parliamentarians suggest introducing imprisonment of up to 5 years for destruction, damage or desecration of cultural heritage

5 members of the Verkhovna Rada propose to the parliament to put in prison up to 5 years for the destruction, damage or desecration of objects of cultural heritage.

This is stated in bill No. 11458, the Ukrainian News agency reports.

It is proposed to punish with a fine from 20,000 to 40,000 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens (UAH 340,000-680,000) or imprisonment for a period of 1 to 3 years with confiscation of the object of cultural heritage and related property for intentional or negligent destruction, damage or desecration of a cultural heritage object under state protection.

For the corresponding offence, but committed with the use of arson, explosive works or other generally dangerous method or committed repeatedly or with a prior conspiracy by a group of persons or in relation to a world heritage site, its territory, a buffer zone, it is proposed to punish with a fine of 30,000-50,000 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens (UAH 510,000-850,000) or deprivation of liberty for a period of 3 to 5 years and a ban on professional activity in the field of urban planning for up to three years with confiscation of the object of cultural heritage and related property.

The bill also provides for:

- expansion of the list of criminal and administrative offenses, which maximally covers destructive, negative practices in this area;

- introduction of criminal liability of legal entities for violations in the field of cultural heritage protection using the confiscation of monuments as a sanction;

- strengthening of sanctions for criminal and administrative offenses in the field of cultural heritage protection;

- introduction of responsibility for the actions or inaction of officials, which create conditions for violations in the field of cultural heritage protection;

- introduction of criminal liability for failure to comply with orders or other decisions of cultural heritage protection bodies, requirements of officials of cultural heritage protection bodies, or creation of obstacles to their activities;

- introduction of criminal liability for war crimes against cultural heritage;

- introduction of administrative liability of officials of enterprises, institutions, organizations for violations of legislation in the field of cultural heritage protection.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on July 21, the Prosecutor General's Office started criminal proceedings regarding the demolition of a historical building of the end of the 19th century — the Zelenskyi estate in Kyiv.