Free Legal aid is a most essential element of a fair, humane and effective criminal justice system based on the rule of law. Legal aid is a foundation for the enjoyment of other rights, including the right to a fair trial, as defined in paragraph 1 of Article 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a prerequisite for the exercise of these rights and an important safeguard of fairness and public trust in the criminal justice process.
All persons under the jurisdiction of Ukraine, including citizens of Ukraine, and foreigners and stateless persons legally staying in Ukraine, are eligible for all types of legal services.
According to the provisions of Article 1 of the Law about Free Legal Aid, free legal aid means legal aid guaranteed by the state and fully or partially funded from the State Budget of Ukraine, local budgets, and other sources. The Law defines legal aid as provision of legal services to safeguard human and civil rights and freedoms, protect such rights and freedoms, and restore them if violated. The legal services include provision of legal information, advice, and clarifications on legal issues; preparing appeals, complaints, and procedural and other legal documents; representation of persons before courts, other government agencies, local self-government agencies, and other persons; defense against charges; and facilitating a person’s access to secondary legal aid and mediation.
Free primary legal aid (FPLA) means a type of government guarantee that involves providing information about a person’s rights and freedoms, procedures for their exercise, restoration if violated, and appeals against decisions, actions, or omissions by government and local-self-government agencies, officials, and officers. Free secondary legal aid (FSLA) means a type of government guarantee that involves providing equal opportunities for access of persons to justice.
