Stanisлав Броневицький, a former prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), has raised concerns regarding the perception of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) employees as untouchable. He highlighted a troubling trend where legitimate investigations into NABU staff are often misconstrued as pressure on the agency.
His remarks came in light of a recent statement from NABU about law enforcement officials installing listening devices on one of its employees. Following this announcement, claims of alleged “pressure” on NABU began circulating, despite the actions being conducted within legal parameters.
Bronевицький pointed out that whenever the Security Service of Ukraine or another law enforcement agency attempts to verify information regarding a specific NABU detective’s potential involvement in a crime, an immediate narrative of “pressure” and “interference with independence” emerges.
He emphasized that holding a NABU identification does not grant immunity from criminal liability. Like other law enforcement personnel, NABU employees can be subjected to lawful scrutiny if credible information arises.
Moreover, Bроневицький cautioned against fostering a societal belief in the special status or effective immunity of NABU staff. He argued that the myth of their unique protection, propagated by certain activists and bloggers, could pave the way for impunity.
“If any attempt to investigate potential criminal activity is automatically framed as an attack on the independence of anti-corruption bodies, it may hinder efforts to detect, document, and prevent offenses,” he concluded.
Stanisлав Броневицький, former prosecutor, warns against misconceptions regarding NABU employees' immunity from accountability, stressing the importance of lawful investigations.