Ukraine is waging a relentless fight against those it considers traitors to the nation. Just go to the Telegram channel of the country’s security services, the SBU, to get an idea of the intensity of this battle. Investigators share daily blurred photos of people accused of treason and collaboration, accompanied by scraps of information on the alleged facts: having “corrected” missile attacks by the enemy army on Ukrainian infrastructure; transmitted military intelligence to Russian forces ; glorified the opposing army on the Internet…
For the authorities, this is a question of national security, but also a muscular response to the strong demand for justice from Ukrainian society, revolted against this “enemy from within”.
Since the start of the invasion in February 2022, the security services have carried out thousands of investigations and arrests against Ukrainians suspected of treason. “As long as the war lasts, there will be people in our society who help the enemy for money or ideology, assures the head of the SBU, Vassyl Maliouk, who responded in writing to the questions of World. This is why we will not stop and we will do everything to ensure that all traitors and collaborators are punished fairly. »
A large part of this battle took place in the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian forces, but also in those since liberated by the Kiev army. And, on this last point, human rights defenders do not hide their concern about the speed of the country’s authorities in condemning numerous civilians accused of having colluded with the enemy during the occupation.
More than 7,000 procedures
In the eyes of these NGOs, this immediate justice in times of war does not distinguish between acts of survival and frank collaboration with the enemy. “We are at the time of populist promises where everyone must be imprisoned”, laments Alena Lunova, director of advocacy activities at the Zmina human rights center.
At the heart of the criticism, two articles of the penal code adopted in March 2022: 111-1, which responds to “collaborative activities”, And 111-2, which judges the Ukrainians providing “assistance to the aggressor state”. The creation of these two articles was done urgently, in the first weeks of the war, and aimed to send a “strong signal” to residents living in occupied territory or about to be occupied.
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