Units of the National Police have started more than 480 criminal proceedings on the facts of falsification of COVID documentation — Oleksandr Hrynchak
Today, October 5, a joint briefing of the Cyberpolice, the Ministry of Digital Sciences and the Ministry of Health on the problem of manufacturing and selling fake COVID certificates and PCR tests, as well as interagency interaction to stop such offenses, was held.
The head of the Cyber Police Department spoke about successful cases of exposing those involved in the manufacture, sale and use of fake COVID documentation. He also said that according to these facts, the National Police have already opened 486 criminal proceedings, 85 people have already been notified of suspicion.
“Citizens who manufacture and sell fake COVID certificates and PCR tests are not only trying to deceive the health care system, they are putting everyone around them at risk by their actions. In addition, by producing fake documentation, they undermine the authority of the state in the international arena, questioning the legitimacy of Ukrainian COVID certificates,” Oleksandr Hrynchak emphasized.
In turn, First Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Oleksiy Viskub spoke about the generation of fake COVID certificates in the Diia app: “In order for the fake COVID certificate to appear in Diya, the doctor must take responsibility and enter false data into the electronic health system. It is very easy to track, because he signs it with his e-signature. Together with Cyberpolice, we are closely monitoring cases of counterfeiting COVID certificates and PCR tests.”
Deputy Minister Maria Karchevych told about the vector of work of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine: “Today we have already sent letters of submission to the owners of 15 health care institutions where there may have been falsification of medical data, demanding that the heads of institutions be removed from work. We are waiting for the appropriate measures to be taken. In each of these cases, law enforcement agencies are investigating.”
Recently, the Government approved the draft law initiated by the Ministry of Health on criminal liability for the sale and use of fake COVID certificates. Ukrainians who knowingly use fakes face a fine of up to 34 thousand hryvnias or up to 2 years of restriction of liberty. Medical workers who enter false information into the databases will receive a fine of up to 68 thousand hryvnias or up to 2 years of restriction of liberty and deprivation of the right to hold office. And those who produce and sell fakes will be fined up to 170 thousand hryvnias or imprisonment for up to 3 years.
At the end, Oleksandr Hrynchak also noted: “In order to more effectively counter these offenses, all units of the National Police systematically and harmoniously cooperate with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the Ministry of Health and the State Border Service. Within the framework of the cooperation, there is a constant exchange of information and appropriate measures are taken to counteract these offenses.”
Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine
