ACTION PLAN IN CASE YOU SEE HUMANITARIAN AID BEING SOLD

The procedure for identifying socially important goods as humanitarian aid, the list of which has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, has been simplified. However, numerous cases of humanitarian aid being used for profit have been reported.

For instance, it can be foreign goods without the required Ukrainian labeling or with appropriate labels indicating that the goods were received as humanitarian aid.

Remember that humanitarian aid should be provided free of charge to those who need it. The use of humanitarian aid for profit, in particular selling goods received as humanitarian aid, is considered a criminal offense.

Together with lawyer Mariia Kuliasha, we have compiled tips for those who have witnessed the sale of goods received as humanitarian aid.

TAKE A PHOTO OR RECORD A VIDEO OF THE GOODS BEING SOLD

In the case of a potential crime, it is allowed to record video in a public place, and such information cannot be considered confidential, so you can legally ignore the shouts “You have no right to film here!”.

However, your goal is not to cause a scandal but to record the facts and pass the information on to law enforcement authorities, so do not try to argue and keep in mind the existing increased social tension in society.

CONTACT THE STORE MANAGEMENT

Do not hesitate to inform the store management about possible violations of the legislation on humanitarian aid. If it is a chain store, it is likely that the staff is aware of what is happening, and it is unlikely to come as a surprise to them. As a consumer, however, you have the right to ask for a quality certificate or other supporting documentation for the product in question confirming its sale’s legality.

Important note: You should first record the fact, then contact the management.

REPORT THE ALLEGED OFFENSE

Call the police at 102 or any other law enforcement phone number, or call the Security Service of Ukraine hotline 0-800-501-482 or send an e-mail to callcenter@ssu.gov.ua.

In your message, specify the address of the location where you noticed the sale and clearly describe the details of what you saw. It is recommended, but not required, that you provide your name and contact number. Later, ask about the results of the review of your report.

P.S. There are many complaints online, but rarely anyone dares to go to the police, even though they are authorized to investigate the relevant violations.

CONTACT JOURNALISTS

If your messages are repeatedly ignored and the store continues to break the law by selling humanitarian aid goods, you can contact local journalists and discuss filming a story. Making it public will likely work effectively to stop the offense, raise awareness of the investigation, and prevent others from trying to “make some extra money.”

Do not stand aside. Your attention and concern will help those who really need it get humanitarian aid for free.

Here are some helpful links:

Emergency phone numbers of the police in all regions of Ukraine

The Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine regarding liability for the illegal use of humanitarian aid during martial law” No. 7146