Enlisting critics: Ukrainian authorities accused of using conscription as a political weapon

Lina Portman1 week ago

0 2 minutes read

Ukrainian journalists, activists and watchdogs are concerned that government officials may resort to conscription to silence critics, POLITICO reports.

Several incidents have occurred in which people involved in anti-corruption efforts or investigative journalism claim to have been the target of notices or investigations shortly after publishing articles critical of Ukrainian authorities.

Yevhenii Shulhat, an investigative journalist, describes being approached by uniformed soldiers with a conscription notice in a shopping center just after contacting the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) about a corruption case. “I consider this intimidation and obstruction of my journalistic activity,” Shulhat told POLITICO.

Vitaliy Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, is under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) over allegations of evasion of military service and improper transfer of a unit of First line. Shabunin denies these accusations and declares: “It is difficult for me to imagine how I could be accused of dereliction of duty if I voluntarily mobilized in kyiv in the first days of the conflict. [Russian – ed.] invasion.”

The government says it does not tolerate such practices. Oleg Tatarov, deputy head of the president's office, told POLITICO: “I consider the use of criminal justice tools to pressure anyone, including public activists, to be unacceptable and such facts must be immediately reported to the relevant authorities. »

However, critics say the structure of the incidents suggests otherwise. Investigative journalist Yuri Nikolov said: “They use different intimidation tactics to try to dissuade journalists and, of course, they can always threaten to send you to the front. » Nikolov believes he became a target because of his articles reporting corruption in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's procurement processes.

Ukrainian watchdogs and journalists acknowledge significant progress in the country's anti-corruption efforts despite these concerns.

“We have achieved significant results. For example, our system of monitoring the wealth of civil servants is one of the best in the world,” Shabunin said.

The situation highlights the complex balance between national security needs and preserving press freedom and accountability in wartime.

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