Ukraine's corruption watchdog claims three detectives beaten during searches

Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Semen Kryvonos claims that during the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) searches on 21 July, three of his employees were beaten, yet they were obstructed from recording their injuries.

Source: briefing by NABU Director Semen Kryvonos and SAPO Head Oleksandr Klymenko in Kyiv

Quote from Kryvonos: "Three employees, who hadn’t been detained but were subjected to searches, suffered injuries of varying severity [on 21 July – ed.]. Yet, all day yesterday, they couldn’t have their injuries documented, as medical institutions were persuaded to refuse treating our detectives.

This interference, based on operational intel, came from one of the heads of divisions within the Kyiv City State Administration…

Yesterday, the detectives – searched but not detained, and against whom force was used – approached several medical facilities only to face refusals or reluctance to record the extent of their injuries.

According to our findings, pressure was exerted on the heads of these medical institutions to deny NABU employees the chance to document their injuries."

Details: Kryvonos also noted that preventive measures are being selected for the NABU employees, who had been served with notices of suspicion.

Commenting on the suspicions against his staff, he suggested an intent to intimidate either himself or the SAPO head, though he does not rule out legitimate investigative actions.

He further asserted that while he supports self-purification of the system and would act if a subordinate collaborated with the aggressor, this must not serve as a pretext to dismantle the independence of NABU and SAPO.

Background:

• On 21 July, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General's Office conducted approximately 80 searches of property belonging to 19 employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau in various oblasts of Ukraine.
• The security forces did not have court warrants to conduct the searches, but they do not consider this a violation of the law since obtaining such warrants could "cause information leaks" and "harm the conduct of special operations".
• The 19 NABU detectives are charged with treason, illegal trade with Russia and corruption in the interests of oligarchs. Meanwhile, the State Bureau of Investigations has stepped up its efforts with materials on a traffic accident that occurred several years ago involving NABU employees.
• Representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Office of the Prosecutor General are also checking the state of state secrecy protection in the SAPO. The check concerns NABU employees with access to state secrets and conducting covert investigative actions.
• The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) voted for draft law No. 12414 on second reading, according to which the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) – which are currently independent – will become dependent on decisions made by the prosecutor general.

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