Kateryna Handzyuk, a prominent anti-corruption activist, died on Sunday of complications from a July 31 sulfuric acid attack. There has been no confirmation as to the exact trigger for her death, but she had been hospitalized since the attack and had undergone eleven surgeries. She had severe damage to one of her eyes, and more than forty percent of her body had been burned by the acid.
Kateryna Handzyuk was a fearless activist who fought against police corruption in Ukraine. Then she was attacked with acid. For the last 3 months she fought for her life from a hospital bed. Today, she succumbed to her wounds. She was 33. https://t.co/gLOxxLzLlw pic.twitter.com/CU5hfQiMPc
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) November 4, 2018
From the UNIAN information agency:
An attempt on the official of the Kherson City Council and prominent local activist Kateryna Handziuk was ordered by law enforcers, according to a posting on Facebook by Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko. According to a photocopy of the case file memo on transferring the materials to the Security Service of Ukraine, posted by Mr Lutsenko, the attack had been carried out with the “assistance of separatist organizations in the south of Ukraine” and aimed at “destabilization of socio-political situation” in the region.
“Why do I consider it to be assassination attempt? Because the acid was poured on my head,” she said. “If someone wanted to warn or silence me, they could have targeted my arms, legs, or face — anywhere. But they poured a liter of acid on my head.”
Before she signed off, she added: “Yes, I know that I look bad now. But I’m sure that I look much better than law and justice in Ukraine,” she said. “Because they aren’t treated by anyone.”
