Kateryna Handziuk: Five men jailed over acid attack on Ukraine anti-corruption activist

Kateryna Handziuk: Five men jailed over acid attack on Ukraine anti-corruption activist
Copyright Transparency International Ukraine / Kateryna Handzyuk's family
Copyright Transparency International Ukraine / Kateryna Handzyuk's family
By Natalia Liubchenkova
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The 33-year-old died in November last year, three months after being attacked in the southern Ukrainian town of Kherson.

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Five men have been jailed over a sulfuric acid attack on Ukrainian anti-corruption campaigner Kateryna Handziuk.

The 33-year-old died in November last year, three months after being attacked in the southern Ukrainian town of Kherson.

She posted a video in September urging people to fight corruption saying “I know I look bad now… but I look better than justice in Ukraine.”

Handziuk was an advisor to Kherson's mayor. She was outspoken on alleged corruption and defending local forests from illegal exploitation.

As a result of the acid attack, 30% of Handziuk’s body was burned. She endured 16 operations before losing her battle for life.

On Thursday a court in Ukraine sentenced the quintet to between three and six-and-a-half years behind bars.

Attack coordinator Serhiy Turbin was given the biggest jail sentence and attacker Mykyta Hrabchuk six years.

Three accomplices — Viktor Horbunov, Volodymyr Vasyanovych, V’yacheslav Vyshnevskyi — were given three-to-four year terms.

All five men had earlier pleaded guilty and signed a deal with the prosecutors.

Meanwhile, activists on Facebook are calling for justice over those ordered the attack on Handziuk.

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