Front Line Defenders slams Ukrainian police inaction after attack on activists Olena Shevchenko and Anastasiia Gerasymenko

The international human rights organization Front Line Defenders has denounced the inaction of the National Police of Ukraine following an attack on activists Olena Shevchenko and Anastasiia Gerasymenko in Ivano-Frankivsk. The incident occurred on May 10, 2026, after a peaceful rally protesting a new draft of the Civil Code of Ukraine.

Scattered posters of protesters rallying against the adoption of the draft of the new Civil Code of Ukraine, May 10, 2026. Photo: Facebook/ Olena Shevchenko

According to the organization, after the protest concluded at around 3:30 p.m., the activists were returning from the rally when at least six men, who had participated in a counter-event titled “For Traditional Values,” began tailing them. The attackers approached from behind, shoved the women to the ground, snatched their posters, and fled.

Front Line Defenders noted that law enforcement officers were present at the scene during the attack. According to the organization, one of the attackers was detained; however, the police refused to immediately accept a report from the victims. As a result, Olena Shevchenko and Anastasiia Gerasymenko addressed the regional police headquarters.

The human rights defenders reported that they waited for over 5 hours at the police station to submit their report. According to Shevchenko and Gerasymenko, officers attempted to dissuade them from filing, denied them access to the restroom, and failed to consider a possible discriminatory motive behind the attack. Furthermore, the women were not provided with a copy of their report or a registration number.

“Law enforcement officers refused to recognize the potential discriminatory nature of the attack or to investigate it as a hate crime,” Front Line Defenders stated.

The organization also pointed out that this is not the first attack targeting Olena Shevchenko. In April 2022, an unidentified individual sprayed her with tear gas in Lviv while she was unloading humanitarian aid. According to human rights defenders, that case remains uninvestigated to this day.

Front Line Defenders called on Ukrainian authorities to publicly condemn the attack, ensure the victims have access to medical and legal assistance, conduct an impartial investigation, and guarantee the safety of human rights defenders working to protect the rights of women and the LGBTIQ+ community.

Earlier, ZMINA reported that an attack targeting participants of the rally broke out in Ivano-Frankivsk following a protest against the new draft of the Civil Code. The activists also reported psychological pressure from law enforcement officers when attempting to file a police report.

Previously in Kyiv, several thousand people took to the streets to protest, demanding amendments to the new draft of the Civil Code. Activists claim that certain provisions of the document could restrict civil society’s rights and pose risks to human rights advocacy.

In May, protests took place in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, and Odesa. Protesters will demand revisions to the new draft Civil Code No. 15150, as they believe it could restrict the rights of women, children, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities, and that it contains vague provisions that pose risks to human rights.