Civil Liability for Corruption Offenses: Confiscation or Compensation?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34625/issn.2183-2705(39.2)2026.ic-3Keywords:
civil liability, corruption offense, punishment, confiscation of property, special confiscation, compensationAbstract
Against the backdrop of Ukraine's European integration and the conditions of martial law, this article examines the modernization of penalties for corruption offenses. This study is a conceptual and policy-legal analysis grounded in the examination of Ukrainian legislation, statistics, and the judicial practice of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) from 2021–2025, as well as relevant ECHR judgments. The primary argument is that traditional confiscation and special confiscation are problematic, as they may be unconstitutional and violate the right to peaceful enjoyment of property. Instead, the authors substantiate the expediency of introducing compensation (damages) as an alternative civil-law sanction. This approach aligns with the legal principle of human-centricity and, unlike confiscation, performs not only a punitive but also a restorative and preventive function. Key findings demonstrate that the HACC already applies de facto compensation within plea agreements (in the form of transfers to the Armed Forces of Ukraine), yet this practice is inconsistent. Analysing the deficiencies of Draft Law No. 11340, the authors insist that mandatory conditions for such agreements must include full cooperation with the investigation (including testimony against accomplices) and the complete return of all illicitly obtained funds, rather than merely the payment of a fine.References
AVRAMOVA, Olha. “Deprivation of Subjective Rights for Habitation.” PhD thesis abstract, Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, 2008. Available from: https://dspace.univd.edu.ua/handle/123456789/17409 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
AZWAR, Muhammad Fuad, M. Said Karim and Haeranah. “The Concept of Non-Conviction Based Asset Forfeiture as a Legal Policy in Assets Criminal Action of Corruption.” Legal Brief 11, no. 5 (2022): 2613–2622. ISSN 2722-4643. Available from: https://doi.org/10.35335/legal.v11i5.515 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
CABINET OF MINISTERS OF UKRAINE. Resolution “On Approval of the State Anti-Corruption Programme for 2023–2025,” No. 220. 2023. Available from: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/220-2023-%D0%BF#Text [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
CHERNEI, Volodymyr et al. “Criminal remedies and institutional mechanisms for combating corruption crimes: The experience of Ukraine and international approaches.” Juridical Tribune 12, no. 2 (2022): 227–245. ISSN 2248-0382. Available from: https://doi.org/10.24818/TBJ/2022/12/2.05 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
CIVIL CODE OF UKRAINE. No. 435–IV. 2003. Available from: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/435-15#Text [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF UKRAINE. Decision in the Case on the Constitutional Petition of 47 MPs of Ukraine on the Compliance with the Constitution of Ukraine (Constitutionality) of Articles 961, 962 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (on Special Confiscation) in court case No. 1-22/2020(391/20). 2022. Available from: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/va01p710-22#Text [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
CRIMINAL CODE OF UKRAINE. No. 2341-III. 2001. Available from: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2341-14#Text [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
DAVYDOVA, Iryna and Mykola Biloshkurskyi. “A Donation Contract as a Way to Avoid Punishment for Corruption Offenses.” Journal of Civil Studies 50 (2023): 18–23. ISSN 2522-4840. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32782/chc.v050.2023.3 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
DAVYDOVA, Iryna and Mykola Biloshkurskyi. “Some peculiarities of regulatory and legal support for mediation and mediators’ activities.” Journal of Civil Studies 51 (2023): 83–87. ISSN 2522-4840. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32782/chc.v051.2023.14 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
DAVYDOVA, Iryna and Mykola Biloshkurskyi. “Using Paid Services in Online Video Games as a Way to Conceal Corruption Offences.” Lex Sportiva 2 (2023): 10–17. ISSN 2786-5975. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32782/lexsportiva/2023.2.2 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
DRAFT LAW. On Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine to Improve the Efficiency of Plea Bargaining, No. 11340. 2024. Available from: https://itd.rada.gov.ua/billInfo/Bills/Card/44421 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS. Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. 1950. Available from: https://prd-echr.coe.int/web/echr/european-convention-on-human-rights [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS. Judgment in the Case of Frizen v. Russia, No. 58254/00. 2005. Available from: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-68614%22]} [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS. Judgment in the Case of Iatridis v. Greece, No. 31107/96. 1999. Available from: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/ukr#{%22fulltext%22:[%22Iatridis%20v.%20Greece%22],%22documentcollectionid2%22:[%22GRANDCHAMBER%22,%22CHAMBER%22],%22itemid%22:[%22001-58227%22]} [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS. Judgment in the Case of Natsvlishvili and Togonidze v. Georgia, No. 9043/05. 2014. Available from: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-153730%22]} [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL. Proposal for a Directive on Asset Recovery and Confiscation, No. 52022PC0245. 2022. Available from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52022PC0245&qid=1653986198511 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
HIGH ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT OF UKRAINE. Judgment in Court Case No. 991/688/23. 2023. Available from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/109321257 [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
HIGH ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT OF UKRAINE. Judgment in Court Case No. 991/5422/24. 2024. Available from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/120537944 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
HIGH ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT OF UKRAINE. Judgment in Court Case No. 991/8307/24. 2025. Available from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/125270405 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
HIGH ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT OF UKRAINE. Analysis of Judicial Proceedings by the High Anti-Corruption Court in 2021. Kyiv: High Anti-Corruption Court, 2022. Available from: https://hcac.court.gov.ua/userfiles/media/new_folder_for_uploads/hcac/statistics/analyses/justice_2021.pdf [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
HIGH ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT OF UKRAINE. Analysis of Judicial Proceedings by the High Anti-Corruption Court in 2022. Kyiv: High Anti-Corruption Court, 2023. Available from: https://court.gov.ua/userfiles/media/new_folder_for_uploads/hcac/statistics/analyses/justice_2022.pdf [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
HIGH ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT OF UKRAINE. Analysis of Judicial Proceedings by the High Anti-Corruption Court in 2023. Kyiv: High Anti-Corruption Court, 2024. Available from: https://court.gov.ua/userfiles/media/new_folder_for_uploads/hcac/statistics/analyses/justice_2023.pdf [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
HIGH ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT OF UKRAINE. Analysis of Judicial Proceedings by the High Anti-Corruption Court in 2024. Kyiv: High Anti-Corruption Court, 2025. Available from: https://court.gov.ua/storage/portal/hcac/statistics/analyses/justice_2024.pdf [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
HIGH ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT PRESS-CENTRE. “The High Anti-Corruption Court began performing its duties”. 05 Sep. 2019. Available from: https://hcac.court.gov.ua/hcac/pres-centr/news/776588/?utm_source=chatgpt.com [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
HUTAMA, Wisnu Nanda and Dewi Gunawati. “Implementation of the Confiscation and Auction of Assets Convicted in the Jiwasraya Corruption Case to Recover State Losses.” International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding 11, no. 5 (2024): 470–477. ISSN 2364-5369. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v11i5.5744 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
HUTSALIUK, Mykhailo. “Combating Illegal Activities in Cyberspace: Confiscation of Crypto Assets Obtained by Criminal Means.” In Proceedings of the VI International Scientific and Practical Conference Implementation of the State Anti-Corruption Policy in the International Dimension, 212–214. National Academy of Internal Affairs, 2021. Available from: http://surl.li/fbvomc [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
IBRAHIMI, Adrianit and Besa Arifi. “Defending the Rights of the Victims of Corruption in the Republic of Kosovo: With a Special Focus to the Pandemic COVID-19.” SEEU Review 15.1 (2021): 3–23. ISSN 1857-8462. Available from: https://doi.org/10.2478/seeur-2020-0001 [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
KHARYTONOV, Evgen et al. “Human Rights as the Basic Value of the Concept of Private Law in Modern Europe.” Amazonia Investiga 8, no. 20 (2019): 477–485. ISSN 2322-6307. Available from: https://amazoniainvestiga.info/index.php/amazonia/article/view/177 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
KHARYTONOV, Yevhen O., Olena I. Kharytonova and Mykola M. Biloshkurskyi. Chapter 12. Civil‐Law Liability for Corruption Offences in the Conditions of a Hybrid War. In KHARYTONOV, Yevhen et al. Actual Problems of Regulation of Property and Non-Property Relations under the Conditions of a Hybrid War through the Prism of Person-Centred Civilistics. Odesa: Phoenix; National University “Odesa Law Academy” 2025, pp. 384–410. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32837/11300.29664 [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
KRUK, Yevhen. “Peculiarities of Interstate Cooperation in Matters of Civil Responsibility for the Commission of a Corruption Offense.” Law and Society 2, no. 2 (2023): 265–270. ISSN 2078-3736. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32842/2078-3736/2023.2.2.38 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
KRUSHYNSKYI, Serhii. “Plea Bargaining: International Experience and Prospects for Implementation in Ukraine.” University Scientific Notes 4, no. 36 (2010): 238–245. ISSN 2078-9165. Available from: http://old.univer.km.ua/doc/kkp/3.pdf [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
KULYK, Oleh. “Models of state regulation of the virtual assets market in offshore zones (on the example of Bermuda Islands, Gibraltar, and Malta).” Balkan Social Science Review 20 (2022): 43–61. ISSN 1857-8772. Available from: https://doi.org/10.46763/bssr2220043k [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
LATIF, Syahiruddin and Rizki Ramadani. “The Recovery of State Losses through Corruption Asset Confiscation: Policies and Obstacles.” In Proceedings IAPA International Conference and International Indonesia Conference on Interdisciplinary Studies (IICIS), 2022: 312–321. ISSN 2686-6250. Available from: https://doi.org/10.30589/proceedings.2022.703 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
LAW OF UKRAINE. “On Amendments to the Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes of Ukraine regarding the Implementation of the Action Plan on Visa Liberalization by the European Union for Ukraine,” No. 222-VII. 2013. Available from: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/222-18#Text [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
LAW OF UKRAINE. “On the High Anti-Corruption Court,” 2447-VIII. 07 June 2018. Available from: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2447-19#Text [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
LÓPEZ-ROJAS, Dayan Gabriel and Isnel Martínez-Montenegro. “Criminological foundations and evolution of confiscation as a political-criminal strategy against “profit crime.” Revista Científica General José María Córdova 22, no. 47 (2024): 867-888. ISSN 1900-6586. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21830/19006586.1375 [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
NAVALNIEVA, Nataliia. “Confiscation of Property: Civil and Legal Aspect.” Scientific Notes of Taurida National V. I. Vernadsky University. Series: Juridical Sciences 29, no. 68(6) (2018): 39–45. ISSN 2707-059X. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32838/TNU-2707-0581/2018.6/07 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
ODNOLKO, Inna. “Application of Special Confiscation during the War in Ukraine (Some Legal Provisions and Case Law).” Academic Visions 30 (2024): 3–7. ISSN 2786-586X. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11298947 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
ORLOVSKA, Natalya and Julia Stepanova. “Confiscation of proceeds and property related to crimes: international standards and the ECHR practice.” Juridical Tribune 10, no. 3 (2020): 493–511. ISSN 2248-0382. Available from: https://tribunajuridica.eu/arhiva/An10v3/9.%20Orlovska%20Stepanova.pdf [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
PRESS SERVICE OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE. “The Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy Reviewed Draft Laws for Compliance with Anti-Corruption Legislation.” Official Web Portal of the Parliament of Ukraine. 2024. Available from: https://www.rada.gov.ua/news/news_kom/251683.html [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
PRESS SERVICE OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE. “The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Adopted as a Basis a Draft Law on Improving the Efficiency of Plea Bargaining.” Official Web Portal of the Parliament of Ukraine. 2024. Available from: https://www.rada.gov.ua/news/razom/251942.html [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
PRYKHODKO, Andrii. “Administrative and Legal Support for Preventing and Counteracting Corruption in Ukraine in the Context of European Integration.” Doctoral dissertation, Dnipro State University of Internal Affairs, 2020. Available from: https://dduvs.in.ua/wp-content/uploads/files/Structure/science/rada/dissertations/33/d3.pdf [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
SAVIĆ, Vanja-Ivan. “Concept of Autonomous Liability of Legal Person and Its Application in Criminal Law.” Godišnjak Akademije Pravnih Znanosti Hrvatske II, no. 1 (2011): 41–68. ISSN 1849-0778. Available from: https://hrcak.srce.hr/79894 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
SCIENTIFIC AND EXPERT OPINION. First reading on the Draft Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine on Improving the Efficiency of Plea Bargaining, No. 11340. 2024. Available from: https://itd.rada.gov.ua/billInfo/Bills/pubFile/2441260 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
SEROHINA, Nataliia and Andrii Mazalov. “Ways to Reduce Corruption Risks in Military Operations Taking into Account the International Experience of Conducting Hostilities.” Taurida Scientific Herald. Series: Public Management and Administration 2 (2024): 54–55. ISSN 2786-474X. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32782/tnv-pub.2024.2.7 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
SHATRAVA, Serhii and Kateryna Chyshko. “Features of State Anti-Corruption Policy in Eastern Countries.” State and Regions. Series: Law 1, no. 79 (2023): 348–353. ISSN 1813-338X. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32840/1813-338X-2023.1.57 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
SOBKO, Ganna et al. “International anti-corruption concepts and their implementation in Ukraine.” Novum Jus 17, no. 2 (2023): 219–49. ISSN 1692-6013. Available from: https://doi.org/10.14718/novumjus.2023.17.2.9 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
SUPREME COURT. Ruling in Court Case No. 366/1872/17. 2018. Available from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/74842644 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
SUPREME COURT. Ruling in Court Case No. 644/5486/21. 2023. Available from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/112088029 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
TRINCHERA, Tommaso. “Confiscation and Asset Recovery: Better Tools to Fight Bribery and Corruption Crime.” Criminal Law Forum 31, no. 1 (2020): 49–79. ISSN 1572-9850. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10609-020-09382-1 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
UNIFIED STATE REGISTER OF COURT DECISIONS. Court of Justice of Ukraine. Available from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua [Accessed 15 Nov. 2025].
UZHHOROD CITY AND DISTRICT COURT OF ZAKARPATTIA OBLAST. Ruling in Court Case No. 308/8473/22. Available from: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/117579412 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
YERMAK, Oleksii and Yevheniia Kozma. “Features of the Legal Nature of the Special Confiscation as a Means of Criminal Law.” Comparative and Analytical Law 3 (2018): 244–246. ISSN 2524-0390. Available from: https://pap-journal.in.ua/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/3_2018.pdf#page=244 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
YERMAK, Oleksii. “Confiscation of Property as a Punishment and Quasi-Special Confiscation in the Criminal Law of Ukraine.” Scientific Bulletin of the International Humanities University. Series: Jurisprudence 16, no. 2 (2015): 74–76. ISSN 2307-1745. Available from: https://www.vestnik-pravo.mgu.od.ua/archive/juspradenc16/part_2/22.pdf [Accessed 1 Sep. 2025].
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Evgen KHARYTONOV, Olena KHARYTONOVA, Mykola M. BILOSHKURSKYI
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who published in the journal agree to the following terms:
- The Authors grant the Journal the right of first publication, and other non-exclusive publishing rights, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which allows the sharing of work with recognition of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to take on additional contracts separately, non-exclusive distribution of the version of the paper published in this journal (ex .: publish in an institutional repository or as a chapter in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post and distribute their work online (eg .: in institutional repositories or on their website) at any point before or during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as increase the impact and the citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
RJP does not apply submission, publication or any other fees of any nature. Its articles are open access, with the goal of disseminating scientific knowledge and the debate of legal topics in the area of Legal Sciences.
