In a show of defiance against a controversial court order, eight major Ukrainian outlets jointly released a blocked investigation into the family of a top law enforcement official on Friday.
The report, which probes the acquisition of 143 real estate properties in Kharkiv by the brother of Oleksandr Sukhachov, head of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), had been stifled by an injunction from Kyiv’s Pecherskyi District Court. The ruling, issued July 6 before the investigation was made public, barred its release, sparking charges of censorship. The coalition, dubbed “Initiative 143” after the number of properties cited, includes outlets like Ukrainska Pravda, Suspilne, and Schemes.
“This is a dangerous precedent—an attempt to test how to silence journalists,” said Daria Kaleniuk, an official with the Anti-Corruption Action Center. The original reporting, a joint effort with Slidstvo.Info, required months of digging. Co-author Maksym Savchuk noted the findings traced properties tied to Sukhachov’s brother and linked them to the SBI.
The legal tussle began after a journalist requested comments from the developer Parkovyi-2 LLC and the SBI director. Instead of replying, the developer sought court action, and Judge Serhiy Vovk swiftly approved the ban. He argued publication could cause irreversible harm to a private individual and breach commercial confidentiality.
Legal experts criticized the decision. Lawyer Liudmyla Pankratova called it a “gross interference” that could prompt copycat restrictions. Anna Babinets, editor-in-chief of Slidstvo.Info, described the unified release as an “extraordinary act,” noting participating outlets risk legal blowback but send a clear message: “Banning one newsroom only triggers a wave of publications by others.”
Industry groups echoed the alarm. “A preliminary ban is among the most dangerous threats to freedom of speech,” said Sevgil Musaieva, editor-in-chief of Ukrainska Pravda, likening it to prior censorship. Observers noted Ukraine’s commitment to adopt anti-SLAPP legislation by 2027 under EU standards, but argued blocking this investigation undermines that pledge.
Parkovyi-2 LLC has since filed a lawsuit against the journalists, alleging unlawful data collection. Meanwhile, Slidstvo.Info has appealed the injunction, with a hearing set for Monday. The case underscores ongoing tensions between media freedom and efforts to shield officials from scrutiny in Ukraine.