Yas A. Criminal liability for obstruction of voting right or the right to take part in referendum, the right to he member of election commission or referendum commission or the rightto bean official observer (Article 157 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)

Thesis has clarified the historical stages of formation and development of the criminal laws of Ukraine, which establish liability for obstruction of election and referendum rights. The comparative legal analysis of such crimes is made on example of the Russian Federation, Republic Belarus, Republic Moldova and Republic Armenia. The detailed legal characteristics of the crime elements were given, and analysis of sanction for the crimes, which are studied, was made. They revealed a number of shortcomings of the criminal law that establishes liability for obstruction of voting right or the right to take part in referendum, the right to be member of election commission or referendum commission or the rightto bean official observer.