Kyiv court denies SBU access to anti-corruption case database

A judge at Kyiv's Shevchenkivskyi District Court has rejected a request from a Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) investigator for access to the case management system of the High Anti-Corruption Court, according to the Anti-Corruption Action Center.

"This system contains information on motions filed by National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) detectives, including requests for search warrants and other investigative measures. With this access, the SBU could identify who NABU detectives are investigating and warn potential subjects of these cases," the Anti-Corruption Action Center said.

Anti-corruption activists also reported that the SBU investigator sought to close the hearing, citing the secrecy of the pre-trial investigation. The investigator claimed that the presence of independent attendees could harm the interests of the criminal proceedings. The judge agreed to this motion, conducting the hearing behind closed doors.

The SBU investigator also voiced frustration over the presence of independent observers and said he did not understand the public's interest in the case.

The Anti-Corruption Action Center pointed out that NABU was not included as a party to the hearing because its representative does not formally own the information in question. "This was yet another attempt to pressure anti-corruption bodies. Although the SBU still has not gained access to the High Anti-Corruption Court's system, it's clear this will not be the last attempt to target NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP)," anti-corruption activists added.

Media reports said the SBU is trying to obtain court approval for copies of the High Anti-Corruption Court's case management database, particularly data on investigations conducted by NABU and SAP.