Olexandr Boryniakov, the acting Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, has initiated legal proceedings against lawmaker Danylo Hetmantsev. The lawsuit stems from allegations made by Hetmantsev on his Telegram channel, where he accused Boryniakov of involvement in a criminal organization and various corrupt activities.
According to Boryniakov’s legal representative, Masi Naiem, the accusations include claims of fictitious licensing distribution, illegal financial gains, and failures in implementing state digital services. Naiem emphasized that the statements made by Hetmantsev go beyond mere criticism or opinion, asserting that they constitute factual claims that can be either true or false.
“What the lawmaker disseminated is not an evaluation, criticism, or opinion. It is a statement of facts. A fact is either true or false—there is no third option,”
said Naiem. He further explained that Ukrainian law, alongside the practices of the European Court of Human Rights, distinguishes between the right to free speech and the responsibility that comes with spreading false information.
“Everyone has the right to criticism, personal opinion, and public discourse. However, no one has the right to disseminate false statements about a specific individual, especially when it involves accusations of crimes or corruption,”
Naiem added. In response to the lawsuit, Hetmantsev indicated that he would request the court to involve Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who previously led the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
Hetmantsev also plans to seek answers in court regarding several issues, including the alleged non-functionality of the State Online Monitoring System for the gambling market in Ukraine, the delayed blocking of illegal gambling sites, and the lack of penalties for operators engaging in unlawful advertising. “And who is profiting from all of this?”
Hetmantsev questioned, highlighting concerns about accountability within the digital governance framework.
Olexandr Boryniakov has filed a lawsuit against Danylo Hetmantsev over defamatory allegations related to corruption and misconduct. The case raises questions about the balance between free speech and the dissemination of false information in Ukraine's political landscape.