Geo Leros Charged Over Obscene Gesture at Zelensky

MP says Zelensky's “transformation into Lukashenko is happening very fast.”

Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation has charged independent People's Deputy Geo Leros with hooliganism for an obscene gesture within the walls of parliament. Here is everything known about the situation. 

Leros Showed the Middle Finger

During a speech in parliament on November 4, People's Deputy Geo Leros made an obscene gesture at President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

Geo Leros
People's Deputy

Hello, Mr. President. I see your Yermak is here too. I want to tell you that I am not afraid to tell the truth. You can persecute me with your law enforcement agencies and “take care” of cases as much as you like, but I am not afraid to tell the truth. You are the main traitor in the country. 

Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk then asked for the deputy's microphone to be switched off. Leaving the rostrum, he showed Zelensky the middle finger. 

Immediately after this, Servant of the People MP Mariya Mezentseva took the floor and asked the Rules Committee to assess Leros's actions. The Servant of the People faction then said it had appealed to the Rada's Rules Committee demanding an assessment and a decision on the conduct of People's Deputy Leros. 

Rada Committee's Decision

The Rules Committee of the Verkhovna Rada unanimously recommended that parliament deprive MP Geo Leros of the right to take part in five plenary sessions. 

Pavlo Frolov
chair of the Verkhovna Rada Rules Subcommittee

The Rules Committee unanimously recommended that the Verkhovna Rada deprive Geo Leros of the right to take part in five plenary sessions for obscene gestures in parliament. Under the Rules, this proposal will be put to a vote in parliament without debate. 

Leros Was Served With Suspicion Notice

On November 11, People's Deputy Geo Leros said that prosecutors and SBI officers had come to him to serve a notice of suspicion. 

Geo Leros
People's Deputy of Ukraine

Right now, a suspicion notice is being served to me in the courtyard of the building where I live. There are SBI and PGO officers here. I am waiting for a lawyer. So far I do not know what exactly it is for. 

He said that “many cases have been fabricated” against him and that “Zelensky's transformation into Lukashenko is happening very fast.” 

What the SBI Said

The SBI press service said: “On November 11, 2021, on the instruction of the acting Prosecutor General, a written notice of suspicion was served on a People's Deputy of Ukraine for gross violation of public order in the plenary hall of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. SBI investigators established within the criminal proceedings that on November 4, 2021, the people's deputy, speaking from the parliamentary rostrum, made offensive remarks about the highest officials of the state.” 

It is noted that the deputy did not react to remarks from the presiding officer at the session and continued such actions even after his microphone was switched off. Aware that his remarks would not be recorded by the media, he made an obscene gesture, “demonstrating disregard for generally accepted norms of morality and social environment.” 

Law enforcement believes that these actions by the deputy “clearly show an aim to create his own media and political image, raise his media recognition, and attract the attention of the media, society and other politicians to himself.” 

At the same time, the deputy allegedly abused his powers as a People's Deputy during a speech in the course of discussing a candidate for a government member. 

Thus, Leros has been served with a notice of suspicion of gross violation of public order motivated by clear disrespect for society (Part 1, Article 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The article's sanctions provide for a fine of up to 4,000 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens, or arrest for up to six months, or restriction of liberty for up to five years. 

The SBI noted that the pre-trial investigation is ongoing and the issue of choosing a preventive measure is being decided.