On December 6, 2024, the UBA Committee on Criminal and Criminal Procedural Law sent an official letter to the Commission for the External Independent Evaluation of NABU’s Effectiveness. The letter drew attention to the issue of disclosing investigation data and personal information about participants in criminal proceedings.

The letter stated that “instances of extrajudicial communication between NABU representatives and third parties, particularly journalists, involving the transfer of information and materials from ongoing criminal investigations, are becoming a systemic problem.” The UBA Committee emphasized that such actions contradict the Constitution of Ukraine and provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The Committee noted that the negative publicity surrounding individuals caused by “leaks” of investigative secrecy effectively becomes a form of “punishment” in cases where investigations yield no substantive results. At the same time, the Committee praised NABU’s official communication channels, including press releases and comments, which ensure transparency in the agency’s work.

The letter also stated: “The failure of NABU officials to adhere to the aforementioned constitutional principles and fundamental tenets of criminal procedure not only grossly violates the rights of participants in relevant criminal proceedings but also undermines the credibility of NABU itself and the entire anti-corruption framework.”

The UBA Committee urged the Commission to consider the systemic nature of the issue during the audit of NABU’s activities and provided examples of relevant incidents in an annex to the letter.

The annex to the letter can be read via the provided link.

The full text of the UBA Committee’s letter can be accessed via the provided link.