In Poltava region, blogger is accused of theft, he is sure that the case is fabricated

The blogger and journalist Vadym Kyrpychenko from Pyriatyn, Poltavska oblast, who publishes in social networks materials about local police and authorities, is accused of theft of telephone communications wire belonging to PJSC “Ukrtelekom”. The blogger is assured that the case against him was fabricated as a revenge for his journalist activities. He told about this to the IMI representative in Poltavska oblast. “Police officers of Pyriatyn police station completely fabricated the case. Based on all evidence they have, the testimonies of witnesses are not in line with the reality. What is happening is, I think, a revenge. In the last three years I write a lot in the Internet about the local law enforcement agencies. Mainly the materials are criticism”, Vadym Kyrpychenko explained to the local IMI representative. According to the journalist, he is accused of several cases of stealing the electric wires together with his friend. The blogger claims that in the dates in question he was not even in the location. He has evidence of this - witnesses, records in social networks, and currently is requesting the information about tickets from the railroad company to prove he was not in the town at those times (he was travelling to Kharkiv and Nizhyn at the time). The investigating officer, though, does not accept stamps from social networks as evidence as "they can be forged". The official investigators also do not interrogate the witnesses, giving as a reason the vacation of the case investigator). IMI representative in Poltavska oblast arranged meeting of Vadyn Kyrpychenko with representatives of Chief Administration of National Police in Poltavska oblast, and they promised to study the case and to give their opinion about it.