Quoting sources close to Khoroshkovsky, the daily newspaper Segodnya wrote on June 19 that the bullying of Femen is the work of former SBU managers who are currently in opposition.
The SBU source told Segodnya: “There is an investigation being conducted, but we already know that this is a provocation from the opposition. Acting on their instructions, some strangers met with journalists and these girls, introducing themselves as SBU workers. Well, think for yourselves, what sense does it make for us to conduct such meetings? Why would we frame ourselves so? Definitely, this is a diversion.”
By this SBU logic, if any of the Femen activists are injured or killed, the special service can declare it “a provocation on behalf of the opposition.” Femen considers such declarations by the SBU to be an attempt by its management to avoid responsibility for their possible unlawful actions.
Ukrainian women’s movement FEMEN activists shout and hold placards, reading: "Free of protests," "Free of words" and "Hands off bitches," as they block the entrance to the building of Ukraine’s Secret Services during a protest in Kyiv on June 23, 2010 against lawlessness in the country. (Yaroslav Debelyi)
We’re demanding that SBU head Valery Khoroshkovsky takes responsibility for what is going on, and immediately start to investigate these “provocations,” which throw doubts on his professionalism, as well as professionalism of the whole institution he heads.
The only way out of this situation is a public investigation and punishment of those guilty of victimization of the civic activists. Alternatively, the movement Femen will have to state that the Ukrainian democracy has become small change in the spy games organized by Viktor Yanukovych and his team.
We’re calling on all truly oppositional organizations, parties and movements, as well as regular Ukrainians, to show resistance to the unlawful actions of the law enforcement institutions.
This is the only way to protect ourselves and defend our rights.
Here is a timeline of events:
On the eve of an event organized by the female organization Femen against SBU’s pressure on civic organizations and media, the following events took place. Around 1 a.m. on June 23 unknown people who claimed to be law enforcement workers deceived the leader of Femen Anna Hutsol, entered her apartment and forced her out into the street. They forced her into their car and kept her there for two hours. These people demanded to cancel the event, threatened her with physical violence, and said the addresses of other Femen activists.
During the conversation, they changed their demands a few times. In the end, they demanded that Femen remove from its press statement any reference to “preventative talks” of SBU workers with the organization’s activists, and forced the leader to call the press secretary to make the changes in the press release in their presence. On June 25 Femen filed an official application to the SBU and the general prosecutor’s office requesting protection for its activists. Both institutions replied that the decision will be taken within one month.
