Prosecutor General considers Filimonenko, who was punched by Shabunin, a provocateur

The Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko admitted that blogger Vsevolod Filimonenko, who was punched by the leader of Center for Counteraction to Corruption, Vitaliy Shabunin, is a provocateur, but argued that it cannot be a valid reason to beat up a person. If Shabunin's defense proves in the court that Filimonenko is not a journalist, the Prosecutor General said, the prosecutor's office will modify the specifics of accusations, the Prosecutor General said in the іinterview for TSN, “Detector media” reports. “... if there was physical violence, I cannot close my eyes and not proceed this case. Even more, I will tell you honestly, I consider the journalist, Filimonenko, a provocateur. From what I saw he is a provocateur. But this all does not mean you can physically assault him, causing injury of medium gravity. If it was just a light injury, the case would be just a civil one, but with medium injury it is, unfortunately, a criminal case. I am sure that the court will be open, and calm”, he added. In response to the argument that the Western diplomats consider Shabunin's case a persecution, the Prosecutor General answered: “So what am I supposed to tell Filimonenko, who has a diagnosis showing injuries of medium gravity? His visceral cranium bone is pressed in. What am I supposed to tell him? “You know, we cannot make a case out of it, because the one who did this to you is an anti-corruption actor?”. Ok, make a list for me, I will write it down: Shabunin, who next? Leshchenko maybe. Who else is a well-known anti-corruption actor? Mustafa Nayyem. Ok, let's make a list of people who are untouchable, who are allowed to do anything, and a criminal case against whom is considered a political crack-down. Let us make this list!”