Human Rights Watch (HRW) has recently brought to light unsettling actions against Vitaliy Shabunin, a leading anti-corruption advocate and co-founder of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC) in Ukraine. Shabunin, known for his outspoken criticism of government malpractices including recent questionable defense procurements, has been subjected to a series of severe retaliations allegedly orchestrated by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).

According to AntAC, an alarming raid was conducted on Shabunin's personal and work premises without judicial authorization and before legal counsel could be engaged. This invasive action is part of a broader pattern of harassment that includes a year-long smear campaign against Shabunin, labeling him a draft evader, which has escalated to online threats, the doxxing of his personal information, arson at his residence, and explosives being discovered at his relatives' homes.

HRW detailed these incidents as part of a systematic effort to intimidate and silence Shabunin, who faces charges of dodging military service and fraud. These charges, as per AntAC's Executive Director Daria Kaleniuk, seem to be a strategic attempt by the authorities to divert the organization’s focus from its anti-corruption activities. Kaleniuk underscored the disapproval from the Presidential Office towards AntAC’s revelations of corruption and detrimental government actions.

This crackdown has widened, affecting other anti-corruption bodies as well. Recent reports from AntAC confirmed unauthorized searches targeting over 70 employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau following their move against former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov.

HRW has sternly criticized these actions, highlighting them as retaliatory measures against activists dedicated to exposing corruption and abuses of power. They warned that such practices threaten the very foundation of rule of law in Ukraine.

Despite these challenges, the international community, including the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption, has acknowledged Ukraine's efforts in implementing anti-corruption measures among key public sectors. However, ongoing scandals and the current treatment of activists like Shabunin suggest a complex battle against corruption that is far from over.

For more details on these events, visit the official HRW and AntAC websites linked in this report.