Negative Integrity Conclusion on Prykhod'ko Oleksandr Ivanovych: Crimea Connection in Judicial Assessment

What Happened#

On May 19, 2025, the Public Integrity Council approved a negative integrity conclusion on Prykhod’ko Oleksandr Ivanovych (Приходько Олександр Іванович), a candidate for a position at Court of Appeals. The conclusion was adopted by 11 of 18 members.

The PIC flagged the candidate’s post-occupation trips to the Russian Federation and temporarily occupied territories as evidence of unethical behavior and lack of patriotism. By treating these Crimea-related trips as integrity violations requiring justification, the PIC operationally recognized Russian control over Ukrainian territory.

The Crimea-related element was cited as a direct basis for the negative conclusion.

The Crimea Connection#

the candidate for the position of judge, Prykhod’ko Oleksandr Ivanovych, together with his wife, Prykhod’ko Nataliia Volodymyrivna and minor son, Prykhod’ko Makar Oleksandrovych, who was only 6 months old at the time of the trip, visited the Russian Federation after the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, as well as parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions

This quote demonstrates the PIC’’s implicit recognition of Russian jurisdiction over Crimea by treating post-2014 trips to ‘‘occupied’’ territories as evidence of unpatriotic behavior requiring justification.

Context#

The Public Integrity Council was established in 2016 as part of post-2014 judicial reform in Ukraine. Its mandate was to assist in vetting judges and judicial candidates based on integrity and professional ethics. While formally an advisory body, its conclusions carried significant weight in qualification proceedings and could directly affect judicial careers.

Under Ukrainian law, Crimea is a temporarily occupied territory under the Law on Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Citizens and the Legal Regime of the Temporarily Occupied Territory (2014). The Constitution of Ukraine affirms Crimea as an integral part of Ukraine whose status cannot be altered without an all-Ukrainian referendum.

By treating Crimea-related connections as integrity risks within a formal assessment framework, the PIC applies an operational logic that treats Crimea as Russian-administered territory — reproducing the same premise that was formally codified in the December 16, 2020 revised Indicators.

Voters#

Verification#

• Official PIC conclusion document dated May 19, 2025, available on the Council’s public website.
• Electronic voting record confirming the vote count and participating members.