The court extended Shabunin’s preventive measure until October 19
19 August 22:22
On August 19, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv ruled to extend the preventive measure for Vitaliy Shabunin, the head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center(AntAC), for another two months. He was left under his own recognizance until October 19, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to the AntAC on Facebook, judge Iryna Lytvynova granted the prosecutors’ motion. Shabunin’s duties remain the same:
- to arrive at the call of the investigator, prosecutor or court;
- not to leave the place of service without permission;
- surrender his foreign passport.
The Center noted that the prosecutors immediately left the courtroom after the hearing without giving any further explanations.
How the case developed
on July 11, the AntAC reported on the searches conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) at Shabunin’s home in Kyiv region and at his place of service in Kharkiv region. According to the investigation, the civic activist allegedly systematically evaded military service and illegally used vehicles intended for the needs of the Armed Forces.
The SBI confirmed that they had also searched the apartment of the mother of the deceased pilot Andriy Pilshchikov (“Dzhus”), but emphasized that the investigative actions “are in no way related to the professional activities of the suspect.”
on July 15, the court for the first time imposed a measure of restraint on Shabunin in the form of a personal commitment.
on August 13, SBI investigators handed him an updated suspicion, and the next day the bureau announced the completion of the pre-trial investigation. The activist is charged with evading military service with the assistance of the commander of a military unit.
Context
Vitaliy Shabunin is one of the most prominent anti-corruption activists in Ukraine, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, which exposes corruption schemes in the government and law enforcement agencies. His criminal prosecution caused a significant outcry among the public and Ukraine’s international partners.
The AntAC insists that the case against Shabunin has signs of political pressure. Shabunin himself links the investigation to the professional activities of the organization, which criticizes corruption in the military and political leadership.
