A suspicion is announced against anti-corruption activist Shabunin

Vitaliy Shabunin, Chairman of the Board of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, is suspected of causing bodily injuries of moderate severity.

As reported by the Ukrayinska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth), this was announced on Wednesday at the Dnipro Police Department of Kyiv.

Anti-corruption activist is suspected of “deliberately inflicting bodily injuries of moderate severity” to citizen Vsevolod Filimonenko, who calls himself a journalist of the Golos Narodu (Voice of People) newspaper.

In particular, the document says that on June 8, 2017, Vitaliy Shabunin struck one blow at Filimonenko’s face at the Dnipro Military Enlistment Office. This “entailed a lasting health disorder of the latter in the form of a closed face trauma”.

The anti-corruption activist is charged with Article 122 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “Inflicting intended bodily injury of medium gravity”.

This offense is punishable by correctional labor for a period of up to two years, or restriction of freedom for up to three years, or imprisonment for up to three years.

Shabunin reported that the Prosecutor’s Office has changed the qualification of the case over night. As reported by Censor.Net, according to the activist, it was planned to charge him with Article 345-1 part 2 “Threats or violence against a journalist”, namely “deliberately inflicting bodily injuries of medium gravity to journalist […] as a result of this journalist performing his legitimate professional activity”.

As a reminder, on June 8, Human Rights Information Centre has reported about the conflict between the Head of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC) and Vsevolod Filimonenko, who presented himself as a journalist of the Golos Narodu newspaper. The conflict occurred at the Dnipro Military Enlistment Office.

According to Filimonenko, Vitaliy Shabunin hit him and entered the Military Enlistment Office. Filimonenko sprayed a pepper spray into Shabunin’s face after the anti-corruption activist exited the Militray Enlistment Office. The Chairman of the AntAC stated that he hit Filimonenko in the face because he insulted his colleague.

The activist is accusing Filimonenko of conducting an ordered campaign with aim of compromising him.

As a reminder, on April 9 a picket took place near the house of Vitaliy Shabunin, Head of the Board of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre. Activist accuses the SBU in the organization of a picket.

According to Shabunin, Roman Matkovskiy, Head of the SBU department for the protection of national statehood, is the executor of this picket.

The Anti-Corruption Action Centre considers the picket to be linked with a lawsuit against the SBU. The activists of the organization publicly demand the disclosure of e-declarations of employees of the Security Service of Ukraine. The SBU leadership declared the information on the status of its employees as a state secret. They believe that the disclosure of such information may inflict irreparable damage to.

The SBU has initially refuted its involvement in the rally, but in early June, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that it had suspended from duty an employee who has participated in the rally at the house of anti-corruption activist Vitaliy Shabunin on April 9.

On May 12, Alexandra Ustinova, who works at the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, claimed the she and her house are being watched by persons who, on request of the SBU, are filming a video about her with the aim of defamation.

On May 23, Pavlo Pynzenyk, People Deputy from the People’s Front political party, stated that he will request to investigate the activities of the NGO Anti-Corruption Action Centre regarding money laundering.

On June 7, Shabunin was summoned to the military enlistment office, although he has been declared unfit for military service.

On August 2 it was reported the Investigation Department of the Fiscal Service of Kyiv has instituted criminal proceedings against the heads of the NGO Anti-Corruption Action Centre.