Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko has announced his plans to resign amid a notorious situation caused by the death of Kherson activist Kateryna Handziuk after an acid attack. "To prove that no one clings to power, today I am submitting my letter of resignation to the president of Ukraine. And you need to consider this question in parliament. I ask you to do this during the current week," he said in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament.
Lutsenko also said he was outraged by "PR on blood" around the Handziuk case. He also noted he considered the investigation of the case effective. "I can't imagine what the interim investigation commission can do when the investigation is not over yet. Besides, the prosecutors will not allow any member of the commission to get access to the materials of the case. Yesterday's information leak undermined the success of the investigators' activities. I understand that those who have made up the commission seek publicity in the struggle for power rather than a result," he said, according to an UNIAN correspondent. As UNIAN reported earlier, Kherson activist, adviser to the Mayor of Kherson and acting manager of affairs at Kherson City Council's executive committee Kateryna Handziuk on July 31 survived an act of acid throwing. Handziuk's injury was over 30% of the total body surface area, and doctors assessed her condition as serious. She was transferred to a Kyiv hospital, where died on November 4 after long treatment. She reportedly died of a blood clot.
Police originally qualified the attack on the official as an attempted murder committed with extreme cruelty, then its status was changed to completed murder. Six suspects were detained, one of whom, Mykola Novikov, was later released from custody as charges against him were dropped. Three suspects – Vyacheslav Vishnevsky, Volodymyr Vasyanovych, and Viktor Horbunov – are now under house arrest. The alleged organizer of the assassination, Serhiy Torbin, remains in custody. His arrest has recently been extended until December 3. Mykyta Hrabchuk is also under arrest. Previously, human rights and NGOs made public an open letter demanding a public report on the investigation of the Handziuk case. They demand the resignation of Prosecutor General Lutsenko and Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.
