Vitaliy Kasko Kyiv, Ukraine
Email: vitaliykasko@gmail.com
PERSONAL INFORMATION: Data of Birth: Place of Birth: Nationality:
29 June 1976 Lviv, Ukraine
Ukrainian
EDUCATION: Lviv National University, Law Faculty Ukraine (July 1993 – July 1998)
Specialist of Laws / Degree with Distinction
Lviv National University Ukraine (July 1993 – July 1998)
Diploma of Translator (Certificate of Proficiency in English)
Joint Council of Europe – GPO Ukraine Programme on the ECHR Ukraine and Strasbourg (2004-2005)
Prosecutor-Trainer on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
Course-works included Philosophy of Law, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and Criminal Procedural Law. Thesis title: “Mental Abnormality as a Criminal Excuse” (written in English).
(Joint Programme between the Council of Europe and the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine on in-depth training of Ukrainian prosecutors on the ECHR)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Council of Europe, EC, UNODC, US Embassy in Ukraine, IOM, OECD, OSCE, etc. International (2004 to present)
Legal expert Providing expertise on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), case-law of the ECHR and various issues relating to criminal justice, including witness protection,
General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine (May 2014 – February 2016)
Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Responsible for International cooperation (including MLA and extradition), Asset recovery, General Inspection (created GI to investigate corruption within the GPO and initiated high
international judicial cooperation and asset recovery
profile cases against corrupt prosecutors), Juvenile justice, Penitentiary issues etc. Corporate Practice of Law (September 2013 – May 2014)
Partner of Law Company “ARZINGER”, dealing with complex legal expertise in criminal justice field and in ECHR case-law
Individual Practice of Law (December 2010-September 2013)
Private lawyer, dealing with the cases of high complexity and representation of applicants in the ECHR
General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine (April 2007 – December 2010)
Head of International Law Department Key member of the General Prosecutor`s Office’s management team in charge of cooperation with international organizations and foreign agencies in the matters of
extradition and legal assistance in criminal matters, and contributing to the strategic direction of the Office in the sphere of international cooperation Joint Council of Europe – GPO Ukraine Programme on the ECHR 2006-2010
International Consultant on the ECHR and criminal justice, Council of Europe Delivered trainings and train-the-trainer workshops for lawyers, judges, prosecutors, police officers and penitentiary staff in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine
Participated as expert in over 100 regional seminars, conference and roundtables for
judges, prosecutors, lawyers, penitentiary staff Individual Practice of Law Kyiv, Ukraine (October 2005 – April 2007)
Private lawyer (criminal cases of high complexity, administrative, labour, civil cases etc.)
General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine (April 2002 – October 2005)
Senior Prosecutor, Legal Assistance Division and International Cooperation & International Treaty Division Dealing with the mutual assistance in criminal matters, including extradition and transfer of criminal proceedings; preparing the requests on the above mentioned matters and checking the letters rogatory in order to bring them in line with the provisions of the relevant international agreements and applicable domestic legislation; participating in negotiations and consultations for execution of the requests, application and interpretation of the agreements concerned; preparing analytical and information reports on various matters etc. Drafting of conventions and agreements on mutual legal assistance in criminal and civil matters; law drafting (Draft Criminal Procedural Code of Ukraine, Section on International Co-operation, one of the drafters), legal expertise; organizing trainings and seminars for prosecutors and other practitioners on the topical issues of mutual legal assistance, human rights protection etc.; cooperation with international organizations and/or their missions to Ukraine (Council of Europe, OSCE, American Bar Association, Eurojust, Interpol & Europol, IOM etc); research and legal consulting on Ukrainian & International law matters etc.
Prosecutor`s Office of Lviv Region, Lviv, Ukraine (February 1998 - April 2002)
Prosecutor, Senior Investigator, Deputy Head of Investigative Department Investigation of criminal cases of high complexity (e.g. corruption, abuse of power or bribery with high-ranking officials or police officers involved; organised crime; sexual abuse etc.).
PUBLICATIONS: •
Magazine “Prosecution, Person, State”.- #10.- 2004.- “Second Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters: comparative analysis of the new provisions”.
•
“International Treaties of Ukraine on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. Multilateral Treaties”, Kyiv, Phoenix Publishing House, 2006.
•
“International Treaties of Ukraine on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. Multilateral Treaties”, Kyiv, Phoenix Publishing House, 2009 (new edition, revised and amended).
•
Magazine “Bulletin of Prosecution Service”, #6.-2008.- “Application of mutual legal assistance mechanisms in the course of cooperation between Ukrainian law enforcement & the competent agencies of Poland, Russia and Turkey in combating human trafficking. Possible ways of enhancing”.
•
Magazine “Bulletin of Prosecution Service”, #7.-2009.- “Organization of Prosecution Service in Germany using Bavaria Land as an example”.
•
“Combating Human Trafficking in Ukraine. Materials for law-enforcement agents and judges”.-Kyiv.-2009 (one of the authors).
•
“Assistance of UK prosecutors in proceeds of crime cases”.-Kyiv.-2010 (translation and editing).
•
“Asset Recovery Handbook”. World Bank.-2010 (one of the co-authors).
•
“Ukraine as a destination country for human trafficking” (Manual for law-enforcement and judiciary), Kyiv.-2011.
•
“Application of European Standards for combating ill-treatment and impunity in Ukraine: Scientific and Practical Manual for Judges”.-Kyiv.-2011 (funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe).
•
“Ensuring security of victims and witnesses in criminal proceedings related to trafficking in persons”.- Kyiv.-2012.
•
“Manual for judges on the specifics of trials in human trafficking cases”.- Kyiv.-2013 (one of the authors).
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES 2004 – 2012
Member of the State Expert Group on the Drafting of International Treaties on Legal
Relations and Legal Assistance in Civil, Family and Criminal Matters (established within the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine). Oct 2003 – Oct 2005
Prosecutor General of Ukraine's Representative at the Secretariat of the CIS Coordinative
Council of General Prosecutors. Dec 2004 – Dec 2010
Eurojust Contact Point in Ukraine
2007 – Dec 2010
Member of Consultative Council of European Prosecutors (CCPE)
2005
Member of Intergovernmental Expert Group to Prepare a Draft Model Bilateral Agreement on Disposal of Confiscated Proceeds of Crime Covered by the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime of 2000 and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988. (the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Vienna, Austria )
2005
Expert activities, seminars on "Implementing the norms of international law on extradition and mutual legal assistance into national law and practice" (organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; Republic of Kazakhstan (9-11 March) and Republic of Kyrgyzstan(14-16 March)).
2008-2009
Preparation of Draft Law of Ukraine on amending the Criminal Procedural Code with an absolutely new Section on extradition of persons (initiator and one of the drafters). This draft was adopted as a law by Ukrainian Parliament on 21 May 2010 and came into force on 17 June 2010.
2009-2010
Preparation of Draft Law of Ukraine on amending the Criminal Procedural Code with an absolutely new Section on mutual legal assistance (initiator and one of the drafters). The mentioned draft was also adopted as a law and came into force in 2011.
2011-2013
Member of State Expert Group responsible for drafting the Law on Prosecution Service and Law on Advocacy in Ukraine.
2014-2016
Member of Constitutional Commission, Commission on Pardons and Interagency
committee for asset recovery; Member of the interstate expert group drafting Statute for MH-17 Tribunal. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES: December 2002 – to present
Member of NGO “Lviv Community in Kyiv”
LANGUAGES: Ukrainian Russian English REFERENCES Available upon request
Native Fluent in writing and speaking Fluent in writing and speaking (Diploma of translator)