Leaking information about Handziuk's murder, political PR affect investigation — Prosecutor General
Ukraine's Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko has said that because of leaking of information to the media about the investigation of the murder of civic activist Kateryna Handziuk and a political PR campaign, the investigators' activities have been discredited.
"As you understand, detectives must have the highest qualification and be really lucky to prove the guilt of those who order any crime. In this case, up until yesterday, I had been sure that we would get the results soon. Nevertheless, yesterday, as part of a PR campaign on blood, which was staged some people who wish by all means to defame the authorities instead of helping the investigation, one of the versions of the investigation was leaked to the press," Lutsenko said in his address to the parliament on November 6.
"I would like to stress it once again that the 12 people whom we have been considering as involved into the commitment of the crime have, of course, received the information they needed… And this has undermined the success of the process of the investigation," Lutsenko said.
"I am furious about the PR campaign on blood that has unfolded around this case," he added.
The prosecutor general voiced his bewilderment at what an interim commission can investigate when the official investigation has not been completed yet.
"The prosecutor general will not allow, especially after yesterday's leaking of information, to allow any member of the interim commission to access any document available to the investigators. I say this openly and honestly," he said.
Lutsenko added, "I don't understand the accusative inclination that is being propagated by this bloody campaign in all the live talk shows. All this is nothing else but fights for power.”
As was earlier reported, an unidentified person poured concentrated sulfuric acid over Handziuk in the vicinity of her house in Kherson. The lady suffered severe chemical burns and had to be taken to the local hospital. Soon she was transferred to a hospital in Kyiv.
On October 18, Viacheslav Abroskin, first deputy head of the National Police of Ukraine, reported that the police had detained five people who were suspected in committing the assault on Handziuk. Two persons were arrested and the other three were placed under 24h house arrest.
On November 5, Handziuk passed away.