The four European associations and organisations of judges are disappointed by the order of 4 June 2024 of the Grand Chamber dismissing the actions brought by them against the Council decision approving the recovery and resilience plan for Poland as inadmissible.

On 17 June 2022, the Council of the European Union approved the assessment of the plan presented by Poland with regard to the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The Council decision established certain milestones that Poland had to achieve in order to be granted funds. One of the milestones required Poland to establish a review procedure against decisions of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court concerning judges suspended or otherwise disciplined on grounds contrary to European Union law.

EAJ, Medel, AEAJ and Judges for Judges, also representing suspended Polish judges, argued that Continue reading Joint press release of IAJ-EAJ, Medel, AEAJ and Judges for Judges on the court order of the General Court of 4 June 2024 →

[Nageplaatst bericht van januari 2023.]

The Platform for an Independent Judiciary in Turkey has closely monitored the developments within the Turkish judiciary over the past years – not only since the 2016 coup attempt – observing the constant increase of the undue pressure on judges, and repeatedly warning against the gross violations of the human rights of the imprisoned Turkish judges and prosecutors.

Click here to read more: 20230125 Turkey judges Baser-Ozcelik

Together with three European organisations of judges (AEAJ, EAJ and MEDEL), Rechters voor Rechters (Judges for Judges) sent a letter to Ms. Dunja Mijatović, Commissioner for Human Rights (CoE) and Mr. Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice in which our strong concerns are presented about the situation of the judiciary in Bulgaria, where – even recently – cases of judges exposed to pressure and intimidating conduct in connection with the exercise of their professional duties have been reported. We wished to draw their attention in particular to the very alarming developments concerning Judge Vladislava Tzarigradska (picture). After a media smear campaign in 2019 and the threats that led in January 2020 to the assignment of security measures to her and her family for several months, in February 2020 Judge Tzarigradska, at that time serving at Lukovit District Court, and Judge Tsvetko Lazarov, of the Sofia Court of Appeal, reported in a public session of the Judicial Chamber of the Superior Council of the Judiciary on the attacks and pressure they had received from specific individuals while conducting criminal proceedings. One of these individuals was shot dead in January 2024. For the threats and pressure repeatedly denounced since 2019 by Judge Tzarigradska, criminal proceedings were only initiated in May 2023, and no charges have been yet brought against anyone. After her last public statements on the threats she received, Judge Tzarigradska was again targeted by media attacks and threatening messages, to the extent that security measures have been ordered again since last February.

Click here voor the Open Letter from Bulgaria:

Open Letter Bulgaria

Continue reading Statement of The Platform for an Independent Judiciary in Turkey on the Erosion of Rule of Law in Türkiye →