Ukraine’s Ambassador to Bulgaria urges respect for presumption of innocence in case involving her son

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Bulgaria, Olesia Ilashchuk, has called for restraint from speculation and political interpretations regarding the detention of her son, urging that official legal conclusions be awaited.

The diplomat made this statement in a comment to Ukrinform.

“In light of the circulation of information concerning members of my family and to avoid further speculation, I would like to emphasize that the assessment of the situation related to my son’s detention should be based solely on official data and court decisions, not on assumptions or emotional commentary,” Ilashchuk stressed.

She added that her son is a fully legally competent adult citizen of Ukraine, and is undergoing all procedural actions provided by law under the legislation of Ukraine and the European Union. “I want to specifically underline that it is inappropriate to link my son’s procedural status to my diplomatic service or to engage in political interpretations of this situation,” the diplomat noted.

Ilashchuk also expressed hope that, in line with the principles of the rule of law, ethical standards, and the constitutionally guaranteed presumption of innocence, “society’s conclusions will be formed solely based on the results of verifying my son’s involvement in the events in question.”

The Ambassador further urged the public to refrain from spreading false information and to respect her family’s right to privacy.

As Ukrinform reported, on December 18, the Pecherskyi District Court of Kyiv arrested two suspects in the murder of the son of Kharkiv Deputy Mayor Serhii Kuzmin, Danylo, which occurred in November in Austria.

According to media reports, the suspects are Oleksandr Agoiev and Bohdan Rynzhuk, the latter of whom is reported to be the stepson of Olesia Ilashchuk, appointed Ukraine’s Ambassador to Bulgaria at the end of 2022.

Photo: screenshot from video