THE PROSECUTOR`S GENERALIS ATTEMPTING TO MISLEAD CIVIL SOCIETY

30 January, 2026

The Prosecutor General is manipulating with the false information in his latest statement by claiming that he cannot exclude Oleksii Shevchuk from the Competitive Commission responsible for organizing and conducting the selection process for vacant leadership positions at SAPO.

Oleksii Shevchuk, who is the subject of journalistic investigations, has faced disciplinary action as an attorney, has supported unconstitutional laws, and has worked for pro-Russian individuals, must be excluded from the Competitive Commission. 

CONTEXT

By Order №405 of 23 December 2025, Oleksii Shevchuk, an attorney with a questionable reputation, was appointed as a member of the Commission under the Prosecutor General`s quota. That`s why, more than 40 civil society organisations and public opinion leaders appealed to the Prosecutor General to exclude Oleksii Shevchuk from the Commission. 

The reasons why the Prosecutor General’s decision to appoint Oleksii Shevchuk poses significant risks were explained in detail in a previous follow-up, which is available at the link.

After remaining silent for more than a week, on 29 January 2026 the Prosecutor General’s Office published its official position, which is manipulative and contains false information.

CONCRETE SIGNS OF MANIPULATION AND MISLEADING PRACTICES

The key arguments of the Prosecutor`s General Office are as follows:

• On 28 November 2025, the Council of Prosecutors of Ukraine officially announced the start of the selection process for members of the Competitive Commission. Four candidates applied, including Oleksii Shevchuk. The Council of Prosecutors nominated two candidates (not Oleksii Shevchuk, it should be noted).
• Given that the Council of Prosecutors failed to nominate a sufficient number of candidates (in the number of 3), the Prosecutor General chose Oleksiy Shevchuk as he took part in the selection process and submitted documents. 
• The law stipulates that the Prosecutor General does not have the authority to arbitrarily change the composition of the Competitive Commission.

By doing so, the Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed that it does not plan to change its decision, and that Oleksii Shevchuk, who is the subject of journalistic investigations, has faced disciplinary action as an attorney, has supported unconstitutional laws, and has worked for pro-Russian individuals, will remain on the Commission.

Why this statement shows signs of manipulation and misleading facts:

• In a situation where the Council of Prosecutors nominated only two candidates, the Prosecutor General could have appointed anyone as the third member, regardless of whether they had submitted documents to the Council of Prosecutors of Ukraine:

If the Council of Prosecutors of Ukraine fails to propose candidates for the composition of the Competitive Commission within the deadlines established by this part, or proposes an insufficient number of candidates, the Prosecutor General shall independently determine the remaining members of the Competitive Commission within 10 working days after the expiration of the deadline for the Council of Prosecutors of Ukraine to submit candidates to the Prosecutor General, as provided by this part (Part 3, Article 29-1 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Prosecutor’s Office”).

• In other words, the Prosecutor General was not required to limit themselves to those candidates, especially if they do not meet the requirements of the law. The Prosecutor General could have freely announced the selection of a third candidate, invited others to apply, published the full list, and transparently selected someone with integrity, in a way that would not undermine public trust.
• The Competitive Commission is not yet considered fully formed, as its complete composition has not been appointed. Therefore, the Prosecutor General is not restricted from replacing a member under their quota if that member does not meet the legal requirements regarding integrity and impeccable reputation.

FURTHER DECISIONS EXPECTED

1. Bring the composition of the Competitive Commission into compliance with the requirements of the law, ensuring the unconditional observance of the criteria of integrity, impeccable professional reputation, and public authority of its members.

2. Cancel the order appointing Oleksii Shevchuk as a member of the Competitive Commission and appoint a replacement who meets the requirements of the law.