Ukraine: charges against anti-corruption activist
The Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has launched proceedings against Vitaliy Shabunin, the head of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre and one of the country's best-known civil society activists. Because he also serves as a volunteer in the army, he is now accused of evading military service and using an army vehicle for private purposes. The media sound the alarm.
Don't become like Russia
The SBI's actions are highly disruptive, Ukrainska Pravda fumes:
“Ukraine has had similar experiences. That was in 2010-2014, when the whole world began to talk about political persecution and political prisoners in Ukraine. It was a dark chapter in the country's history. ... Ukraine must remain a democracy even during the war. Otherwise we will lose not only territory, but also our identity and the main goal of our common struggle all these years - to be a European country and not a shadow of Russia or Belarus.”
A sign of diminishing freedom
Egor Firsov, a soldier and former member of parliament, voices concern about the social climate on Facebook:
“For the first time since the Maidan and the start of the war, I sense that people are afraid to express themselves publicly, to like or re-post posts. This is a first symptom of authoritarianism and an alarming trend in society ... It is in the nature of power that it is never enough for those who have it. Civil society is the protective mechanism that prevents politicians from slipping into autocracy.”
Everyday activities as offences
Such accusations could be levelled at almost any soldier, writes blogger and officer Yuri Kasyanov in a Facebook post reposted by Censor.net:
“Every soldier - especially one in combat - 'systematically evades military service' by unofficially leaving his place of deployment or combat zone, be it to run an errand, wash, rest, or spend time with his family. He 'systematically uses a service vehicle for private purposes' - because how else can you classify a trip to fetch hot dogs or cigarettes? He 'systematically receives unlawful financial rewards' because the system of combat bonuses is so confusing that it's child's play to find 'criminal' discrepancies.”