Anti-corruption activist Shabunin's abode searched – source
The Anti-Corruption Action Center reported that the State Bureau of Investigation is conducting searches at the home of Vitaliy Shabunin, the head of the organization's board. A source in the law enforcement sector told LIGA.net that procedural actions are being taken against the activist.
He confirmed that the searches were taking place in the military unit in Kharkiv region where the activist serves and noted that "procedural actions are underway" against him. The source did not provide any other details.
According to the AntAC, searches are conducted at Shabunin's place of service in Chuhuiv district of Kharkiv region, as well as at his home, where his wife and children live, but the activist himself has not lived for several months.
The organization claims that law enforcement officers seized Shabunin's phone and that searches are conducted without a court order.
"We assume that this is a criminal proceeding against Shabunin's ex-commander, Viktor Yushko, which concerns Vitaliy's business trips to the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption," the AntAC said.
The Organization considers these searches to be a wave of attacks on the AntAC and Shabunin because of the criticism of the Presidential Office and its head personally Andriy Yermak, and claims that a few days ago the activist was deliberately transferred to Chuhuiv region (away from Kyiv or Kharkiv) so that lawyers could not arrive at the site of the searches in time.
The State Bureau of Investigation has not yet commented on the situation.
UPDATED. Shabunin was served a notice of suspicion of service evasion and fraud.
- In a conversation with LIGA.net in June, Shabunin criticized the candidacy of the new Prosecutor General Kravchenko and stated that President Zelenskyy "once again relies on loyalty instead of professionalism."
- The activist and AntAC also criticized the work of the Defense Procurement Agency of the Ministry of Defense.