Gyunduz Mamedov Returns to the Prosecutor’s Office After Controversial Ruling

The Kyiv District Administrative Court reinstated Gyunduz Mamedov in the prosecutor’s offices, and the Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal dismissed the complaints of the Office of the Prosecutor General and the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors. The decision opens the possibility for the former deputy prosecutor general to return to the system after a years-long conflict over security clearance, disciplinary proceedings, and a criminal investigation.

According to media reports, Mamedov lost his position as deputy prosecutor general in 2021. One of the key reasons was a conflict with the Security Service of Ukraine regarding access to state secrets. The SBU relied on clause 1 of part 2 of article 23 of the law “On State Secrets,” stating that during the clearance process the official provided false information about himself. In particular, it was alleged that Mamedov did not disclose his part-time employment at the Odesa National Mechnikov University. A criminal case was registered on this basis. Thus, the question of access to classified information became part of a broader legal conflict over his holding office. Other procedures concerning Mamedov were proceeding in parallel. The State Bureau of Investigations opened a case following a report by the journalist from the All-Ukrainian Human Rights Newspaper “International Center for Human Rights.” The Prosecutor General’s Office also conducted disciplinary proceedings during which his sick leaves and stays abroad on vacation were recorded. The disciplinary procedure was significant for how his employment in the prosecutor’s office was terminated, since because of it Mamedov could not simply resign voluntarily. As a result, the personnel conflict was accompanied simultaneously by administrative, disciplinary, and criminal-legal processes. Separately, a version was discussed publicly about a possible link between Mamedov’s problems and an SBU operation to detain Russian mercenaries in 2020. Allegations concerned the passing of information and circumstances that led to the operation’s failure. No public evidence confirming this version was presented, so it remains conjecture. Another episode in Mamedov’s career was his participation in a meeting in New York in January 2019. He accompanied Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko to a meeting with Rudy Giuliani, Lev Parnas, and Igor Fruman. Contacts of these individuals later figured in the story that became part of the proceedings of Donald Trump’s first impeachment. Lutsenko later said that the invitation to the meeting from Giuliani was passed on by Mamedov. Member of Parliament Hlib Zahoriy was also present. Publications about Mamedov also mentioned his family ties to the Azerbaijani oil sector. His brother Elchin Mamedov heads SOCAR’s Ukrainian unit, and another brother, Israfil Mamedov, later led the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan. In recent years SOCAR has increased its presence in the Ukrainian fuel market, including in the context of changes in asset structure and fuel supply related to the Glusco network. The mere fact of family ties does not indicate company influence on staffing decisions in the prosecutor’s office. After his dismissal from the prosecutor’s office, Mamedov remained in the public sector. In June 2026 the Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov appointed him deputy head of the Military Law Enforcement Service. In the new position, Mamedov received a portfolio related to collecting evidence of war crimes for later use in court proceedings.

Reinstatement by the court creates a legal possibility for his return to the prosecutor’s office. Against the backdrop of personnel changes in the Office of the Prosecutor General, this could potentially make Mamedov one of the candidates for leadership positions, although the court decision itself does not mean automatic appointment to any specific post.