Vitaliy Shabunin’s house searched: AntAC claims political pressure
11 July 17:08
The State Bureau of Investigation is conducting searches at the home of Vitaliy Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center. This was reported by the organization in a post on its official Facebook page, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to the AntAC, the searches are ongoing at Shabunin’s place of service in Chuhuiv district of Kharkiv region, as well as in his private home, where his wife and two young children live. It is noted that Shabunin himself has not lived there for several months.
“As of now, we know that the SBI has seized Vitaliy’s phone,” the statement said.
The organization emphasizes that the searches are carried out without a court order. The AntAC suggests that the investigative actions may be related to the criminal proceedings against Shabunin’s former commander, Viktor Yushko, and in particular to Shabunin’s business trips to the NACP.
The Anti-Corruption Action Center sees the searches as a continuation of pressure on Shabunin and the organization because of his criticism of the Presidential Office and the head of the Presidential Administration, Andriy Yermak.
“We believe that a few days ago Vitaliy was deliberately transferred away from Kyiv and Kharkiv so that his lawyers would not have time to arrive at the searches. The fact that the phone was taken away indicates the desire of the State Bureau of Investigation to track all Vitaliy’s contacts,” the AntAC stated.
The organization promised to inform about further developments.
