Judges for Judges and three other European Associations of Judges together form the Platform for an Independent Judiciary in Turkey. This partnership has published a letter with an appeal to the respect of basic human rights of detained judges and prosecutors. It gives special attention to the dramatic case of judge Sultani Temel, who has been imprisoned with her five-year-old daughter for years now.
Continue reading Call to respect human rights of detained judges and prosecutors in Turkey
Six Polish judges were summoned in disciplinary proceedings recently. They all refuse to appear, because this new development is part of a highly controversial and duly contested legal system. Judges for Judges hereby shares their individual statements, as published by the Association of Polish Judges Iustitia.
Małgorzata Stanek
Continue reading Polish judges resist contested disciplinary action
Several Polish judges refuse to work alongside colleagues who are involved with the smear campaign against certain members of the judiciary. The Polish Judges Association ‘Iustitia’ provides an update on this current situation. Judges for Judges hereby shares that message.
Małgorzata Stanek
Continue reading Update from Polish Judges Association ‘Iustitia’
The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović issued a Comment on 3 September 2019, titled ‘The independence of judges and the judiciary under threat’. Judges for Judges warmly endorses her call to “be stronger, more resolute and more vocal in defending the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary”.
Niek van de Pasch
Continue reading Human Rights Commissioner calls for stronger defense of judicial independence
For the third time in five years, a survey was conducted among 11,335 judges from 25 countries in Europe. Judges for Judges highlights the main findings in the extensive report.
Niek van de Pasch
Continue reading Thousands of European judges appraise their independence
Onze ‘correspondent’ Paul Meijknecht volgt de rechtsstatelijke ontwikkelingen in Polen. Het Poolse dagblad Gazeta Wyborcza heeft in de maand juni diverse artikelen gepubliceerd over de rechtspraak in Polen. Bij Rechters voor Rechters doet Paul verslag van deze berichtgeving.
Paul Meijknecht
Onze ‘correspondent’ Paul Meijknecht volgt de rechtsstatelijke ontwikkelingen in Polen. Het Poolse dagblad Gazeta Wyborcza heeft in de maand juni diverse artikelen gepubliceerd over de rechtspraak in Polen. Bij Rechters voor Rechters doet Paul verslag van deze berichtgeving.
Paul Meijknecht
The European Commission has adopted a Communication titled ‘Further strengthening the Rule of Law within the European Union’. In this 17 July 2019 document, the Commission sets out concrete initiatives grouped around three pillars: promoting a common rule of law culture; preventing rule of law problems; and responding effectively to breaches of the rule of law. Protection by and of the judiciary is paramount in this resolute vision of the way forward.
Niek van de Pasch
Continue reading European Commission aims to strengthen rule of law
On Monday 24 June 2019, the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union (‘the Court’) delivered its judgment on the new retirement law for the Polish Supreme Court (ECLI:EU:C:2019:531). It declared that the Republic of Poland has failed to fulfil its obligations under EU law.
Niek van de Pasch
Continue reading Court of Justice disapproves reform of Polish Supreme Court
Judges for Judges has been following for some time now the case of Ukrainian judge Larysa Holnyk who has been targeted for taking a stand against corruption. Earlier this year she received a Special Recognition Award from Blueprint for Free Speech: “Her case shows the limitations of anti-corruption policies in protecting individual whistleblowers at risk, and the importance of a judiciary that is independent and incorruptible.”
It is important to keep track to Larysa Holnyk’s story. Ukraine is going through a challenging period of judicial reform and the implementation of newly-adopted legislation with the aim of ensuring indepence, fairness and effectiveness of the judiciary in line with Council of Europe standards. But a society that has been riddled with corruption for years obviously cannot be changed overnight. Judge-whistleblower Larysa Holnyk shares her story on her ongoing fight to obtain justice with us.
Continue reading Whistleblowing in Ukraine: Judge Larysa Holnyk, an update