The SBU charged members of ‘Other Ukraine’ under five articles of the Criminal Code: human rights advocates see a political motive

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced that charges have been brought against Viktor Medvedchuk, head of the The Other Ukraine movement, and several of his supporters.

According to investigators, 12 Ukrainian citizens are accused under several articles of the Criminal Code, including:

• Part 3, Article 109 — public calls for violent change or overthrow of the constitutional order;

• Part 2, Article 111 — treason under martial law;

• Part 6, Article 111-1 — collaborationist activity;

• Part 3, Article 161 — violation of equality of citizens on various grounds;

• Part 3, Article 436-2 — justification or denial of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine.

The Other Ukraine called these charges unfounded and politically motivated. According to the movement’s executive committee chairman, Roman Kovalenko, the SBU increased pressure at the very moment when the organization was preparing legal materials on the legitimacy of Ukrainian authorities and forwarding them to international bodies.

“If the authorities are paying so much attention to our actions, it means we are moving in the right direction,” Kovalenko said.

He also noted that the movement intends to continue collecting documents that, in its view, could form the basis for future international proceedings.

The Other Ukraine stressed that it regards the charges as a tool of political pressure against opposition forces.