Poroshenko appointed two more dubious judges for the Supreme Court
On August 30 President Poroshenko appointed judges Slynko, Symonenko and Matsedonska to the new Supreme Court.
Both Slynko and Symonenko received negative opinions from the Public Integrity Council; perspective of their appointment caused public outrage.
Sergiy Slynko is known for confirming a guilty verdict for Yuriy Lutsenko in 2013 as a member of the judicial panel. The case of Lutsenko has been recognized as political persecution both by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and internationally. Moreover, back in 2003 Slynko was one of the judges who released Oleskiy Pukach (killer of Georgi Gongadze) from arrest to personal bail, after which he escaped the country and hid from justice until 2009. In addition, Slynko was also a member of the judicial panel that confirmed guilty verdict for Dmytro and Sergiy Pavlychenko, whose case was also later recognized by the Parliament as political persecution.
In November 2017, when Slynko was recommended by the High Council of Justice for appointment as the Supreme Court judge and after public outrage caused by this decision, he requested the President to postpone his appointment. Moreover, he also requested for an investigation of his participation in making the decision to release Pukach. However, no public information on any respective investigation is available. Still, Slynko was appointed as the judge of Cassation Criminal Court of the Supreme Court – final judicial instance for consideration of top corruption crimes.
Valentyna Symonenko, appointed to the Cassation Civil Court of the Supreme Court, is known for holding tax ID number of the Russian Federation, which she allegedly received after occupation of Crimea. Such an action for public official, including the judge which Symonenko was at the moment, is a direct violation of the law. In 2017 Symonenko was not recommended for appointment by the High Council of Justice due to ongoing disciplinary case against her, but later she was cleared of all charges.