Head of the SBU summoned to the Verkhovna Rada over scandal with surveillance of journalists
6 February 2024 18:10
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has responded to an investigation by Bihus.info journalists into surveillance by the Security Service of Ukraine. The Chairman of the Committee on Freedom of Speech Yaroslav Yurchyshyn spoke on this issue in parliament, according to 
After the Committee’s representative spoke, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak put the issue of summoning the SBU Head to the Rada to a vote. The decision was supported by 159 MPs, which is enough for the summons.
SBU Head Vasyl Malyuk responded to the scandal with journalists. He said that the actions of the SBU officers who were spying on the journalists were outrageous.
“I emphasise that such actions are unacceptable and have already led to a number of personnel decisions. Among other things, I sent a request for the dismissal of the head of the SBU SZND, and the President of Ukraine signed the relevant decree on 31 January,”
– malyuk wrote on Telegram.
Surveillance of journalists
on 16 January this year, a number of media outlets published a video showing Bihus.info employees using illegal drugs in a country hotel complex. The head of the publication, Denys Bihus, said in a statement that phone records showed that the team had been bugged for almost a year. And on the territory of the complex, unknown persons installed cameras in the rooms for surveillance purposes.
A journalistic investigation has now revealed that the “unknowns” were employees of the SBU’s Department for the Protection of National Statehood. At least 30 employees of the department were involved in the special operation to monitor journalists in the hotel complex.
The SBU opened a criminal investigation into the possible illegal use of special technical means the very next day after the drug video appeared. According to the journalist, this was done in order to remove the hotel’s CCTV footage of its own employees. However, the video has been preserved and all SBU officers are in the journalist’s video.
In its statement, the SBU reminded of the open proceedings regarding the illegal acquisition, sale or use of special technical means of obtaining information. The service also announced personnel decisions. At the same time, the SBU has neither confirmed nor denied the information from Bihus.info. They did not explain whether they consider surveillance of journalists to obtain drug-related dirt as a normal practice. The public was not informed whether these were authorised investigative actions or whether it was an act of arbitrariness by some employees.
They also did not say what the “personnel decisions” were, nor did they specify whether the SBU had imposed any disciplinary sanctions on the said employees, opened an internal investigation, or suspended them from work. The Service also did not explain why the Department for the Protection of National Statehood is dealing with drug use by journalists.
