SBI Searches Homes of Lawyers Linked to Granovsky

Granovsky himself has left Ukraine.

State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) investigators searched the homes and offices of partners at the EQUITY law firm, Viktor Barsuk and Oleg Malinevsky, as well as Sergey Chuev and Vyacheslav Kraglevich.

This became known from a post on the page of the Ukrainian Association of Lawyers.

As follows from an appeal by Association of Lawyers of Ukraine President Zoya Yarosh, the searches took place on Saturday, December 21, at the office of the EQUITY law company and at the homes of four of the firm's partners. The searches were authorized by investigating judge Sergey Vovk of the Pechersk District Court. As the appeal states, the ruling said investigators were interested in flash drives, mobile phones and computer equipment belonging to these individuals.

Updated December 25, 17:03. Searches also took place at the homes of Alexander Granovsky and former CEC head Tatyana Slipachuk.

What are SBI investigators looking for?

The State Bureau of Investigation is conducting a criminal case over unlawful actions by the CEC and former People's Deputy Alexander Granovsky aimed at removing Alexander Kunitsky's candidacy from the 2019 parliamentary elections. Alexander Kunitsky ran in the 169th constituency for the Servant of the People party and was Granovsky's main rival in the election.

On July 11, the Central Election Commission canceled the registration of Alexander Kunitsky as a candidate for People's Deputy of Ukraine. The commission's decision was based on a complaint from another candidate in the district, Oleg Petrichenko. He did not conduct election campaigning, did not open an election account and could have been a technical candidate. 

Previously, Petrichenko had filed similar complaints against another candidate — Vladimir Koval. However, the Supreme Court restored Koval's status as a candidate for People's Deputy.

Journalists pointed out that Tatyana Slipachuk, who headed the CEC, is the common-law wife of Alexander Granovsky, and also published correspondence in which the CEC head personally coordinated the lawyers' actions during the court proceedings over Kunitsky's complaint.

On July 15, the Sixth Court of Appeal of Kyiv ruled the CEC decision unlawful and restored Alexander Kunitsky's status as a candidate for People's Deputy. During the trial, judges received SMS messages offering a bribe allegedly on behalf of Alexander Kunitsky. Kunitsky's opponents in the district could have been behind this in order to derail the court proceedings.

On July 19, the Supreme Court of Ukraine upheld the appeals court's decision and allowed Alexander Kunitsky to run in the elections.

On July 21, Alexander Kunitsky won the election in the 169th constituency, receiving 48% of the vote: more than any other candidate in Kharkiv Oblast.

The TK Media editorial team learned details of the investigation from Alexander Kunitsky.

Alexander Kunitsky
People's Deputy of Ukraine

During the election campaign, the CEC removed me from the elections based on a complaint from one of the candidates. Because of that decision, I could not campaign. Instead of talking with potential voters, I had to spend my time in court to get reinstated. After we managed to defend our right to take part in the elections in the Supreme Court of Ukraine, a statement was filed over the illegal removal of me from the elections as a candidate for People's Deputy.

Earlier, activists from the “Verdict” organization left a pig with guards at the Lukianivka pretrial detention center. The activists staged a performance, bringing the animal to the walls of the detention center and offered administration representatives that it begin serving the sentence instead of the former People's Deputy while he is outside Ukraine.