Investigators serve Shabunin with updated suspicion in Kharkiv region
13 August 17:44
On the morning of August 13, investigators from the State Bureau of Investigation came to Kharkiv region, where Vitaliy Shabunin, the head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC), serves, to serve him with an updated suspicion. The organization reported this on Telegram, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The AntAC noted that the qualification of the crimes has not changed, no new articles have been added, but the description of the circumstances has been updated. They also reminded that there is still no announced suspicion regarding the car, and called on the SBI to either apologize or dismiss those responsible for “professional incompetence.”
What is known about the case against Vitaliy Shabunin:
Suspicions and searches
- on July 11, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) conducted searches without a court order at his place of service in Kharkiv region and at his home in Kyiv. Personal belongings, including equipment belonging to his family members, were seized.
- Shabunin was served a notice of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- 409 (evasion of military service) – the SBI claims that after mobilization in 2022, he did not report to the unit for a long time, adjusted his location under the guise of “business trips” and received a monthly allowance of more than UAH 50,000.
- 190 (fraud ) – the accusation is that he allegedly illegally received payments from the military unit and the unified social contribution – the total amount of damage to the state, according to the investigation, is over UAH 224 thousand.
- Another possible charge is the use of a car imported as humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine for personal needs. However, the suspicion itself does not contain this point.
Pre-trial restraint
- on July 15, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv imposed a pre-trial restraint on Vitaliy Shabunin in the form of a personal commitment until August 20: a ban on leaving the place of service, communication with contact persons, visiting the NACP, and surrendering his passport.
Official position and reaction
- Shabunin and his defense categorically deny the charges. The AntAC claims that his business trip to the NACP was approved by the command, and the payments he received were normal, as provided by law.
- Civil society organizations see the case as a politically motivated reprisal and pressure on the anti-corruption activist. More than 50 organizations have appealed to the President, the Prosecutor General and the Director of the SBI to stop using justice to persecute activists.
- Human rights activists also emphasize the illegality of searches without a court order, the seizure of family belongings, and pressure in times of war.
Context
- Shabunin is a well-known anti-corruption activist, co-founder of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, who was mobilized to the front in 2022 as a soldier.
- The activist attributes the SBI’s actions to political reprisals in response to his exposure of corruption in the government.
