TI Ukraine calls for revising the composition of the SAPO Selection Commission

The Prosecutor General has appointed lawyer Oleksii Shevchuk to the SAPO Selection Commission, despite his already questionable reputation. This step is unacceptable, as commission members must meet the highest integrity standards: their work determines trust in the selection process, SAPO’s future independence, and the effectiveness of the anti-corruption system.

The Law of Ukraine on the Prosecutor’s Office sets clear requirements for members of the Selection Commission for SAPO leadership. They must be individuals with an impeccable professional reputation, high professional and moral qualities, public authority, and integrity. These are not merely declarative requirements — they must be confirmed both formally and in light of candidates’ public reputation.

On December 23, 2025, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko filled the “prosecutor’s quota” for appointing members of the Selection Commission that will select candidates for leadership positions in the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. Those appointed include lawyer Oleksii Shevchuk. Transparency International Ukraine draws attention to circumstances that reasonably cast doubt on whether this individual meets the legal requirements of an impeccable professional reputation, high moral qualities, and public authority.

Open sources contain information indicating that Shevchuk does not meet these criteria.

1. Negative assessment by the Ethics Council in the competition for the High Council of Justice. In 2023, this independent body with the participation of international experts found that Oleksii Shevchuk did not meet the criteria of professional ethics and integrity for a member of the High Council of Justice. These criteria are also relevant for members of the SAPO Selection Commission.

2. Disciplinary proceedings during his legal practice. Open sources contain information about at least two disciplinary cases concerning Oleksii Shevchuk as a lawyer. One involved insulting the honor and dignity of another lawyer, which resulted in a three-month suspension of Shevchuk’s right to practice law. Another concerned a Facebook post in which the lawyer used offensive language toward certain individuals and threatened them with “draft notices to hot zones” as punishment — the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of the Bar considered this to undermine the authority of the legal profession and show disrespect for military service. As a result, Shevchuk was stripped of his right to practice law; however, the Higher Qualification Commission of the Bar overturned that decision due to procedural violations.

3. Mentions in investigative journalism with negative public resonance. Oleksii Shevchuk has repeatedly appeared in investigations by NGL.media. In particular, regarding the disappearance in Lviv of 10,000 U.S.-supplied military first-aid kits, and the misuse by certain civic organizations of the Shliakh system. At that time, lawyer Shevchuk held the position of head of the coordination headquarters on humanitarian assistance at the Lviv Regional Military Administration and served as an adviser to the head of the Lviv Regional State Administration, Maksym Kozytskyi.

Even in the absence of convictions, the nature and scale of public doubts matter when assessing the integrity of a member of a selection commission, especially in the field of criminal justice. Any reputational risks associated with an individual commission member jeopardize the legitimacy of the entire selection process.

We also note that the selection of SAPO leadership is taking place amid heightened risks of political pressure on anti-corruption bodies. In such circumstances, the quality and impeccable integrity of the Selection Commission’s composition become especially important.

In light of these concerns, Transparency International Ukraine calls on the Prosecutor General to reconsider the decision on the personal composition of the SAPO Selection Commission and replace Oleksii Shevchuk with a person who unequivocally meets the requirements of the Law of Ukraine on the Prosecutor’s Office and the highest integrity standards.

Trust in the leadership of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office begins with trust in the selection process for its leadership positions. That is precisely why the composition of the Selection Commission must be unquestionably authoritative and beyond doubt.