The prosecutor’s office has notified Ukrainian citizen Serhii Merkotan of suspicion in organizing and conducting illegal elections in the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson Oblast.
The text of the suspicion was published on the website of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
According to investigators, on April 13, 2023 the so‑called election commission of Kherson Oblast created an illegal Skadovsk territorial election commission, and on June 29 — precinct No. 281 in the village of Shevchenko, where Merkotan was a member of the commission.
The man, aware of the illegality of the actions of the occupation authorities, facilitated the holding of elections for the so‑called council of deputies of the Skadovsk municipal district: he carried out house‑to‑house visits of residents, transported ballots and a ballot box, and also involved local residents in participating in the vote.
As a result of these elections, a representative body of the occupation authorities was formed in the temporarily occupied Skadovsk district, which contributed to the legitimization of the occupation regime.
Investigators classify Merkotan’s actions under Part 2 of Art. 28 and Part 5 of Art. 111‑1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — organization and conducting of illegal elections in the temporarily occupied territory by prior conspiracy of a group of persons.
Earlier it was reported that the Security Service of Ukraine notified resident of Hola Prystan Lyudmyla Cheban of suspicion. She is charged with voluntarily choosing to join illegal authorities created in the temporarily occupied territory.