Shabunin claims that a lobbying campaign was hired in Washington in order to discredit him

Vitaliy Shabunin, Chairman of the Board of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre (ACAC), states that a lobbying campaign was hired in Washington by the representatives of the Ukrainian government aimed at discrediting his organization.

As he reported on his Facebook page.

“The Anti-Corruption Action Centre is the first NGO in the history of the country against which a lobbying campaign in Washington was hired by the kleptocrats”, – Shabunin wrote, recalling the SBU-backed rally at his house, a discrediting movie about him and an “investigation” directed against his organization.

Shabunin also says that all manifestations of the discrediting campaign for several months against the organization in Ukraine and abroad are collected on a separate website.

“Almost every day the team of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre draws out new false, absurd and mostly fictional stories about their work and the virtues of individual members of the team”, – as stated on the main web-page of the website.

The website also states that Liz Meyer, who owns a company in the US specializing in media consulting and media placement, is engaged in discrediting activities abroad against the organization. Namely, publishing posts about Meyer’s clients through online media and bloggers.

According to Shabunin, Liz Meyer’s services are quite expensive.

According to the website attack.antac.org.ua, she sends out information about the ACAC to Western journalists and a video, filmed by the NGO “National Interest”. As well as, provides Western journalists with slanderous materials about the ACAC as a “resonant theme”, which “is worth watching over and reporting”. The ACAC has confirmation of such letters from various sources.

On April 9 a picket took place near the house of Vitaliy Shabunin, Head of the Board of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre (ACAC). Activist accuses the SBU in the organization of a picket.

According to Shabunin, Roman Matkovskiy, Head of the SBU department for the protection of national statehood, is the executor of this picket.

The Anti-Corruption Action Center considers the picket to be linked with a lawsuit against the SBU. The activists of the organization publicly demand the disclosure of e-declarations of employees of the Security Service of Ukraine. The SBU leadership declared the information on the status of its employees as a state secret. They believe that the disclosure of such information may inflict irreparable damage to.

The SBU has initially refuted its involvement in the rally, but in early June, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that it had suspended from duty an employee who has participated in the rally at the house of anti-corruption activist Vitaliy Shabunin on April 9.

On April 12, human rights defender Olexandra Matviychuk stated that a campaign purposefully focused on discrediting public activists, who are counteracting corruption in various areas, is taking place in Ukraine.

On May 12, Alexandra Ustinova, who works at the Anti-Corruption Action Center (ACAC), claimed the she and her house are being watched by persons who, on request of the SBU, are filming a video about her with the aim of defamation.

On May 23, Pavlo Pynzenyk, People Deputy from the People’s Front political party, stated that he will request to investigate the activities of the NGO Anti-Corruption Action Centre regarding money laundering.

On June 7, Shabunin was summoned to the military enlistment office, although he was declared unfit for military service. After Shabunin visited the military enlistment office, Vsevolod Filimonenko sprayed him with a pepper spray on the street.