Gandzyuk and Others v. Ukraine
State connection to fatal acid attack on anticorruption campaigner breaches right to life and freedom of expression.
In the case of Gandzyuk and Others v. Ukraine, the Court held that there had been a violation of the right to life/effective investigation.
The case concerned a lethal sulfuric acid attack on the applicant, a local anti-corruption activist and public official in Kherson, allegedly commissioned by State officials.
The Court found that the attack had been a premediated and renumerated operation with the purpose of silencing an individual acting as a public watchdog. There were sufficiently strong, clear and concordant influences to conclude that there had been a close connection between the attack and the exercise or abuse of public authority so to engage the State’s responsibility. The Court also found a violation the freedom of expression. The attack had been objectively capable of instilling fear in other journalists, activists and members of civil society. It carried an especially serious chilling effect on public debate concerning corruption and abuse of power.