Transparency International Ukraine expresses its concern about the course of the criminal investigation against the company YouControl and its founder Serhii Milman. We believe that approaches to the investigation recently demonstrated by the SSU may indicate other motives than prevention of criminal violations.

We would like to emphasize YouControl’s significant role in assisting journalist and activists who report corruption. Systemic access to the data from state registers provided by the service helped to identify multiple corruption schemes as well as draw public attention to the numerous cases of abuse of powers and conflict of interest of public officials.

We believe that the Security Service of Ukraine needs to investigate the criminal proceeding in question impeccably, as it is in the spotlight both nationally and internationally.

We also count on an unbiased and, most importantly, open court hearing of the case. We consider attempts to hold a closed court hearing unacceptable and unjustified. 

Transparency International Ukraine consistently advocates for public access to all possible open data which do not constitute threat to personal security of citizens or the national security. We also emphasize the importance of the data being used in ways which do not contradict the law of Ukraine. Openness and transparency are an important prerequisite of a corruption-free society.