MIA’s Kharkiv Oblast Investigation Office fails to register criminal suit

Subject of Complaint: Kharkiv Oblast Investigation Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Main Department
Complaint in brief: On June 25, 2015, the BOC received a complaint from a shareholder of a Kharkiv company about a problem it was having with the Interior Ministry in the Oblast. The Complainant claimed that another shareholder, who was under the protection a member of the Verkhovna Rada, was attacking her. The Complainant stated that she had filed a criminal suit against the other shareholder, but the Ministry had failed to register it properly.
Action taken: BOC experts found out that, according to the Criminal Procedural Code, the Investigation Office had to register the Complainant’s inquiry in the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations and launch investigation within 24 hours of receiving an inquiry about the malfeasance.
The investigator then formally requested that the Ministry provide proof that the criminal complaint had been registered and a proper investigation was being launched. Another inquiry was sent to the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor asking him to look into and monitor the case.
Result achieved: The BOC sent its recommendations to both the Ministry and the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor. The recommendations have been followed and a criminal investigation is currently underway.