The Verkhovna Rada has adopted as a basis draft laws No. 3843 and 3844 on the introduction of a classic jury trial model in Ukraine.

We welcome the actions of the parliamentarians, as the jury trial can become a tool to increase Ukrainians’ trust in justice and increase the involvement of citizens in the administration of justice.

What do the draft laws provide for? 

• Jury service is not a right, but a constitutional obligation. Any person who meets the requirements can become a juror, regardless of their desire;
• The case is considered by a jury exclusively (!) at the request of the accused;
• The jury consists of 8 people;
• The requirements for a juror are established: age 21 and over, permanent residence in the territory covered by the court’s jurisdiction;
• Jurors are provided with guarantees of judicial immunity for the duration of their duties in court;
• A juror is entitled to remuneration equal to the salary of a local court judge, and is reimbursed for travel, housing rental, and per diem expenses;
• A jury verdict of guilty is deemed to be accepted if at least 7 out of 8 jurors vote in favor of it;
• The jury’s verdict is binding on the judge. If the jury finds the defendant guilty, the judge determines the punishment. 

The Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition has been actively working on the implementation of the classical jury trial model in Ukraine for 8 years. Since 2016, we have been emphasizing the need to introduce a jury trial in various program documents, in particular, in the Roadmaps for Reforms 2016-2017, 2019-2023. 

In 2023-2024, the Coalition, in cooperation with the Center of Policy and Legal Reform, organized and conducted a series of expert discussions to find the optimal model of a jury trial. The results can be found in the report here.

We congratulate the legislators and are ready to join in finalizing the document for the second reading.