Ukraine’s ongoing war against Russia has brought global sympathy, military aid, and a renewed emphasis on democratic resilience. Yet, behind the façade of wartime unity, a disturbing trend of judicial harassment against civil activists is raising questions about the country’s commitment to transparency and reform. The latest case involving Vitaliy Shabunin, co-founder of the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) and a serving sergeant in Ukraine’s armed forces, has triggered an uproar among local and international human rights groups who say Kyiv is weaponizing the justice system to silence critical voices.

On July 15, Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) presented charges against Shabunin in the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv, accusing him of “evading military service” and “fraud.” The accusations cover a period when Shabunin was seconded to the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NACP), a legitimate posting approved by his military command. Nonetheless, Judge Svitlana Grechana imposed sweeping restrictions on the activist’s movement and communications, including barring him from leaving his unit’s deployment area except for official duty, ordering him to surrender his foreign passport, and prohibiting contact with NACP officials, a former commander, and soldiers from his 2022 unit.

These measures, though framed as legal procedure, are seen by many as punitive. “Politically motivated crackdowns on anti-corruption activists are taking place in Ukraine… How long will this disgrace continue?” asked Tetiana Pechonchyk, a member of the supervisory board at Right to Protection, a leading Ukrainian human rights group.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OMCT/FIDH) summarized the chain of events against Shabunin........

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