Avakov is the devil
File:Rally against Avakov in Kyiv, 2019, 04.jpg holding a sign with the slogan, August 28, 2019]]
Avakov is the devil (Ukrainian: Аваков — чорт) was a slogan used during a series of protests in Ukraine against Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov, which took place from 2019 through 2021. The primary demand of the protesters was to remove Avakov from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with the slogan being displayed during rallies held on August 28, 2019, as a result of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to retain Avakov in the Honcharuk Government.
Etymology
The name comes from a combination of two words: Avakov ({{langx|uk|Аваков}}, Minister of Internal Affairs) and "devil" ({{langx|uk|чорт|link=no}}, a slang word that came from prison culture).
According to the Ukrainian mass media, the "Avakov is the devil" meme was launched in the public space by Roman Sinitsyn, a volunteer and public activist.{{Cite web |date=2020-08-07 |title="Наступні історії масових протестів в Україні будуть пов'язані з мусорами". Велике інтерв'ю з Романом Сініциним {{!}} Новинарня |url=https://novynarnia.com/2020/06/30/sinicyn/ |access-date=2022-10-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807185647/https://novynarnia.com/2020/06/30/sinicyn/ |archive-date=2020-08-07 }}
Background
On March 25, 2014, public activist Oleksandr Muzychko was killed by internal affairs authorities.{{Cite web |date=2014-03-26 |title=Українська міліція оприлюднила хронологію смерті Сашка Білого |url=https://tsn.ua/ukrayina/ukrayinska-miliciya-oprilyudnila-hronologiyu-smerti-sashka-bilogo-341895.html |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=ТСН.ua |language=uk}}
On March 27, 2014, the Rivne City Council declared the death of Oleksandr Muzychka a political murder and called on the Minister of Internal Affairs, Arsen Avakov, to resign.{{Cite web |title=Олександр Музичко (Сашко Білий): історія загибелі незламного рівнянина (+ФОТО, ВІДЕО) {{!}} ОГО |url=https://ogo.ua/index.php?url=articles/view/2017-04-03/85636.html |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=ogo.ua}}
On March 31, 2014, the Lutsk City Council declared the death of Oleksandr Muzychka a political murder and called on the Minister of Internal Affairs, Arsen Avakov, to resign.{{Cite web |title=Луцька міськрада визнала загибель Сашка Білого політичним вбивством |url=https://ua.korrespondent.net/ukraine/politics/3342148-lutska-miskrada-vyznala-zahybel-sashka-biloho-politychnym-vbyvstvom |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=ua.korrespondent.net |language=ru}}
On February 7, 2016, Mykhailo Medvedev was killed by the police.{{Citation |title=Кровавая погоня за бешеным BMW. Полная версия видео. Регистратор полицейского. 7.02.2016. | date=22 February 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ8EOGTXWH4 |language=en |access-date=2022-10-04}}
On February 10, 2016, relatives of Mykhailo Medvedev picketed the Department of the Patrol Service with the slogan "We are against murderous cops!".
On February 13, 2016, protests against such police actions took place.
On May 31, 2019, the 5-year-old child of Kyrylo Tlyavov was shot dead by police officers.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-16 |title=Вбивсто 5-річного Кирила Тлявова: обвинувачуваного просять відпустити на фронт |url=https://tsn.ua/ukrayina/vbivsto-5-richnogo-kirila-tlyavova-obvinuvachuvanogo-prosyat-vidpustiti-na-front-2062987.html |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=ТСН.ua |language=uk}}
On June 3, 2019, Kyrylo Tlyavov died.{{Cite web |last=Gazeta.ua |date=2020-05-30 |title=Патрульний прострілив голову 5-річному хлопчику |url=https://gazeta.ua/articles/np/_patrulnij-prostriliv-golovu-5richnomu-hlopchiku/967797 |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=Gazeta.ua |language=uk}}
On June 4, 2019, protest actions demanding the resignation of Arsen Avakov were held throughout Ukraine.{{Cite news |title=Авакова – у відставку: українські міста вийшли на акції протесту через загибель 5-річного хлопчика |url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-avakov-vidstavka-hlopchyk-aktsiyi/29981455.html |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=Радіо Свобода |date=4 June 2019 |language=uk |last1=Свобода |first1=Радіо }}
According to public activists, experts and mass media, during his tenure as a minister, Avakov assumed many powers. This applies, for example, to his intervention in the case of Serhiy Sternenko, which is being investigated by the Prosecutor General's Office and the Security Service of Ukraine.{{Cite web |date=2020-07-27 |title=Чорт з вами - ZAXID.NET |url=https://zaxid.net/chort_z_vami_n1500925 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727111419/https://zaxid.net/chort_z_vami_n1500925 |archive-date=2020-07-27 |access-date=2022-10-04 }}{{Cite news |date=2020-07-27 |title=Стерненко прийшов до СБУ (фото) |newspaper=Радіо Свобода |url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-sternenko-sbu/30665094.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727132816/https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-sternenko-sbu/30665094.html |archive-date=2020-07-27 |access-date=2022-10-04 |last1=Свобода |first1=Радіо }}{{Cite web |date=2020-07-09 |title=Війни Сергія Стерненка від Майдану до Авакова. Що відбувається у справах одеського активіста |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/articles/2020/05/19/7252147/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709200624/https://www.pravda.com.ua/articles/2020/05/19/7252147/ |archive-date=2020-07-09 |access-date=2022-10-04 }} Also, according to Sternenko, the pro-Russian oligarchs Medvedchuk and Avakov are responsible for the attacks on him.{{Cite web |date=2020-07-27 |title=Сергій Стерненко: За атаками на мене стоять Аваков і Медведчук - Главком |url=https://glavcom.ua/interviews/sergiy-sternenko-za-atakami-na-mene-stoyat-avakov-i-medvedchuk-680019.html?1589477263 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727111406/https://glavcom.ua/interviews/sergiy-sternenko-za-atakami-na-mene-stoyat-avakov-i-medvedchuk-680019.html?1589477263 |archive-date=2020-07-27 |access-date=2022-10-04 }}
The lack of investigations of attacks against public activists and journalists, and first of all the investigation of the murder of Kateryna Handziuk, also serves as the reason for the series of actions "Avakov is the devil".{{Cite news |date=2020-07-27 |title="Аваков боїться плакатів": активісти під ОП вимагали відставки голови МВС |newspaper=Радіо Свобода |url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-aktsia-za-vidstavku-avakova/30449944.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727132742/https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-aktsia-za-vidstavku-avakova/30449944.html |archive-date=2020-07-27 |access-date=2022-10-04 |last1=Свобода |first1=Радіо }}
Protests against Avakov
The first action took place on August 28, 2019, near the President's Office, when it became known that Avakov will head the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the newly appointed Honcharuk government.{{Cite web |date=2020-07-27 |title=Фото Акція "Аваков - чорт" - УНІАН |url=https://photo.unian.ua/photo/902472-akciya-avakov-chort |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727132815/https://photo.unian.ua/photo/902472-akciya-avakov-chort |archive-date=2020-07-27 |access-date=2022-10-04 }}{{Cite web |date=2021-11-18 |title=На Банковій проходить акція "Аваков - чорт!" (фото) - Главком |url=https://glavcom.ua/news/na-bankoviy-aktivisti-provodyat-akciyu-avakov-chort-foto-621047.html?1567009922 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118212036/https://glavcom.ua/news/na-bankoviy-aktivisti-provodyat-akciyu-avakov-chort-foto-621047.html?1567009922 |archive-date=2021-11-18 |access-date=2022-10-04 }}
On February 23, 2020, as a result of the excessive involvement of the Minister of Internal Affairs in solving problems related to the coronavirus, activists gathered in Kyiv for the "Get Avakovirus" campaign, which became part of the "Avakov is the devil" campaign.{{Cite news |date=2020-07-27 |title="Аваков боїться плакатів": активісти під ОП вимагали відставки голови МВС |newspaper=Радіо Свобода |url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-aktsia-za-vidstavku-avakova/30449944.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727132742/https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-aktsia-za-vidstavku-avakova/30449944.html |archive-date=2020-07-27 |access-date=2022-10-04 |last1=Свобода |first1=Радіо }}
June 5, 2020— during Avakov's report to the Parliament of Ukraine regarding the investigation into the police rape of a woman in Kaharlyk and the shooting in Brovary with the participation of 100 people, activists gathered in front of the Parliament under the slogans "Avakov is the devil".{{Cite web |date=2020-07-27 |title=ТСН ранок 2020 ТСН за 2020.06.05 онлайн на 1+1 video |url=https://1plus1.video/tsn-utro/2020/tsn-za-20200605-get-avakova-pid-radoyu-protestuvalniki-vimagayut-zvilnennya-ministra-vnutrishnih-sprav |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727111400/https://1plus1.video/tsn-utro/2020/tsn-za-20200605-get-avakova-pid-radoyu-protestuvalniki-vimagayut-zvilnennya-ministra-vnutrishnih-sprav |archive-date=2020-07-27 |access-date=2022-10-04 }}{{Cite web |date=2020-07-21 |title=Аваков - під Раду притягли радянський міліцейський "бобік" (фото, відео) — Новини Києва — УНІАН |url=https://www.unian.ua/society/avakov-pid-radu-prityagli-radyanskiy-miliceyskiy-bobik-foto-video-novini-kiyeva-11025371.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721112521/https://www.unian.ua/society/avakov-pid-radu-prityagli-radyanskiy-miliceyskiy-bobik-foto-video-novini-kiyeva-11025371.html |archive-date=2020-07-21 |access-date=2022-10-04 }}{{Cite web |date=2020-07-27 |title=Під Радою, де звітує Аваков, запалили поліцейський бобік {{!}} Громадське телебачення |url=https://hromadske.ua/posts/pid-radoyu-de-zaraz-zvituye-avakov-zapalili-policejskij-bobik |access-date=2022-10-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727160244/https://hromadske.ua/posts/pid-radoyu-de-zaraz-zvituye-avakov-zapalili-policejskij-bobik |archive-date=2020-07-27 }}
May 18, 2020 — as part of protests against the imprisonment of activist Serhiy Sternenko, protesters gathered in Kyiv under the slogans "Avakov is the devil".{{Cite web |date=2020-07-27 |title=Сергій Стерненко - під будівлею СБУ проходить масова акція — Новини Києва — УНІАН |url=https://www.unian.ua/society/sergiy-sternenko-pid-budivleyu-sbu-prohodit-masova-akciya-novini-kiyeva-11000273.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727161757/https://www.unian.ua/society/sergiy-sternenko-pid-budivleyu-sbu-prohodit-masova-akciya-novini-kiyeva-11000273.html |archive-date=2020-07-27 |access-date=2022-10-04 }}
On June 18, 2020 — activists gathered for a rally outside the Verkhovna Rada, demanding Avakov's release from the office.{{Cite web |date=2020-07-27 |title=Під Радою вимагали звільнення міністра Авакова - Фото №1 |url=https://tyzhden.ua/gallery/244842 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727111410/https://tyzhden.ua/gallery/244842 |archive-date=2020-07-27 |access-date=2022-10-04 }}