CPJ condemns Ukrainian court’s publication ban on investigation into SBI Director’s brother

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed serious concern over a Kyiv court’s decision to prohibit the publication of a joint investigative report by Ukrainian outlet Slidstvo.info and the Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC) into the alleged assets and business activities of Oleksandr Sukhachov, brother of Oleksii Sukhachov, Director of Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).

On 6 July a Kyiv court granted a temporary injunction requested by Parkovyi-2 LLC – a company reportedly linked to Oleksandr Sukhachov – blocking Slidstvo.info, AntAC, and journalist Alina Stryzhak from publishing the months-long investigation, which was scheduled for release the week of 13 July. The court cited potential “irreparable harm” and the disclosure of trade secrets.

“The court’s pre-publication ban on an investigation by Slidstvo.info and AntAC, imposed in what appears to be an unprecedented legal maneuver, could have serious implications for press freedom in Ukraine,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator. “Investigative journalists perform an essential public service by uncovering and reporting on issues of significant public interest. They should be able to carry out this work without unjustified restrictions that undermine the public’s right to know.”

Slidstvo.Info founder and editor Anna Babinets told CPJ this is the first time a Ukrainian court has blocked an as-yet unpublished journalistic investigation. Both Slidstvo.info and AntAC have denounced the ruling and plan to appeal. AntAC executive director Daria Kaleniuk stated: “We are convinced that AntAC and Slidstvo.info are now simply being used to test a mechanism for preventing journalists from exposing corruption.”

The court described the injunction as “temporary,” and the company has 10 days from 6 July to file a full lawsuit. According to reports, such injunctions are typically used to preserve evidence or freeze assets, not to halt journalism.

Ukrainian media, including EUalive’s partner Suspilne, reported on the decision, while English-language outlet Euromaidan Press noted the unusual application of the measure to suppress publication.

CPJ has documented increasing pressure on Ukrainian investigative journalists since Russia’s full-scale invasion, including surveillance, threats, and violence. In December 2024, CPJ urged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address the lack of accountability in such cases.

CPJ reached out to the SBI and Parkovyi-2 LLC but received no immediate response. Contact information for Oleksandr Sukhachov could not be found.

The case raises broader concerns about the use of judicial tools to restrict critical reporting on high-level officials and potential conflicts of interest within Ukraine’s anti-corruption and investigative bodies. Slidstvo.info and AntAC have vowed to fight the ban to defend press freedom and the public’s right to information.

Based on CPJ press release and coverage by Suspilne.

Caption: Oleksii Sukachov, Director of the State Bureau of Investigation [Website of the State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine]