Mevrouw Kennou, juge â la Cour de Cassation, en Présidente de l’Association des Magistrats Tunisiens, had serieuze doodsbedreigingen ontvangen met de eis dat zij haar ambt zou neerleggen.
RR heeft deze situatie via een brief aangekaart bij de Tunesische Minister van Binnenlandse Zaken.
RR verzocht de Tunesische autoriteiten om de benodigde maatregelen te nemen om de veiligheid van Mw Kennou en haar familie te waarborgen, en te garanderen dat zij haar functie in veiligheid kan uitoefenen.
On 16 May, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and Rechters voor Rechters (Judges for Judges) observed an appeal hearing at the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) in a case against the dismissal of Miroslava Todorova, a Judge who had been serving on the Sofia City Court.
Judge Todorova is known for critical commentary on the problems in the judiciary in Bulgaria. In this hearing, the Prosecutor’s Office supported Judge Todorova’s appeal against her dismissal, but the Court has not yet issued its decision.
The Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL)
The ICJ today published its recommendations on a draft law introducing changes to the disciplinary system for judges in the Russian Federation.
The ICJ considers that the Draft Law amending Articles 12-1, 14 and 15 of the Law of the Russian Federation “On the Status of Judges in the Russian Federation” includes a number of positive amendments. Nevertheless, the ICJ regrets that this opportunity has not been taken to introduce more comprehensive reforming legislation, to address the institutional, substantive and procedural weaknesses in the disciplinary system that allow for abuse and facilitate arbitrariness and inconsistency in the application of disciplinary sanctions against judges.
The Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL)
Today, the ICJ sent a letter to the Tunisian Minister of Interior and the Minister of Justice requesting them to take immediate action in order to ensure the security and physical integrity of Justice Kalthoum Kennou.
Justice Kalthoum Kennou is a Tunisian judge on the Court of Cassation, President of the Tunisian Association of Magistrates, and ICJ Commissioner.
This call comes as Justice Kennou received a letter containing serious death threats, demanding her withdrawal from the judiciary. Justice Kennou is active in the establishment of an independent judiciary and the protection of human rights.
The ICJ strongly condemns these threats and all acts of intimidation against the judiciary and human rights defenders in Tunisia, and calls on the Tunisian authorities to initiate the necessary investigations and inquiries in order to find, prosecute, and punish the individuals behind these brutal threats. Continue reading ICJ condemns death threats against Tunisian judge | CIJL-ICJ→
The Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL)
This newsletter informs you on recent activities and ongoing situations related to the ICJ’s work on the independence of the legal profession.
EDITORIAL
Why Sri Lanka should not be allowed to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
Every two years, the leaders of the Commonwealth of Nations assemble at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the association’s principal policy and decision-making forum. This year, the meeting is set to take place in Colombo from 15 to 17 November, where the Sri Lankan Government will host the illustrious gathering.
The International Commission of Jurists considers that allowing the Government of Sri Lanka this privilege sends a deplorable signal to the international community at large and in particular to the governments of the member states of the Commonwealth: that they can disrespect its fundamental values on the rule of law and human rights without fear of censure. In the absence of a credible commitment based on action, not just words, from the Government of Sri Lanka to these core principles, the members of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group – the body that deals with serious or persistent violations of the Continue reading From our partner: CIJL Newsletter – N°3→
In deze dagen vol Oranje-aandacht maken wij u graag attent op een andere bijzondere bijeenkomst en wel op maandagavond 29 april a.s. in Londen van 18.30-20 uur (met een borrel na afloop).
Dan zal de Nederlandse rechter Peter Ingelse het rapport ‘Judges at risk‘ presenteren over de zeer moeilijke en vaak (levens)gevaarlijke situatie van rechters in Colombia.
Ingelse reisde in augustus 2012 naar Colombia en maakte namens Rechters voor Rechters deel uit van de internationale Colombia Caravana 2012 [colombiancaravana.org.uk]. Op de vorige missies, in 2008 en 2010, waren het voornamelijk advocaten die deelnamen, maar in 2012 reisden er voor het eerst ook twee rechters mee. Continue reading Colombia Caravana presentatie rapport ‘Judges at Risk’→
The Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL)
The ICJ, FIDH and EMHRN call on the Moroccan authorities to comprehensively reform the judiciary and to bring it in line with international standards.
Reforms should be aimed at ending effective executive control over the Higher Judicial Council, reforming the statute of magistrates, ensuring the independence of prosecutors and removing the military court’s jurisdiction over civilians.
The call comes as the ICJ, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) ended a high-level mission to Morocco to assess the current legal framework and its adherence to the principles of judicial independence, impartiality and accountability.
In a memorandum addressed to the Moroccan authorities, the three organizations formulated 20 specific recommendations for reform.
In August 2012 the international delegation of lawyers and judges, known as the Colombian Caravana, visited seven regions of Colombia to investigate and monitor human rights. Among the delegates, the judges’ special task was to interview members of the Colombian judiciary. Their report tells of the exceptional difficulties faced by judges in Colombia, many of whom receive protective measures from the Colombian authorities. Challenges to the rule of law and to the independence of the judiciary and threats, attacks and assassinations hamper access to justice and the judicial system.
Speakers: Judge Carol Huddart, Canada, & Judge Peter Ingelse, the Netherlands
Chair: Professor Sara Chandler, Chair of the Law Society Human Rights Committee
The event will be followed by a reception
All are welcome.
Please register with colombian.caravana@gmail.com
The Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL)
On Monday 15 April, the ICJ will hold a roundtable seminar with judges of the Russian Federation’s highest courts, on disciplinary action against judges in the Russian Federation.
The report raised concern at the unusually high rate of dismissals of judges in the Russian Federation.
It found that vagueness of the grounds for disciplinary action, lack of consistency in application, and the potential for manipulation of the process by court presidents and others, allows for potentially abusive, application of disciplinary sanctions.
This situation has significant consequences for judicial independence.
The ICJ welcomes the recent submission by the Government of a draft law on the judicial disciplinary system to the State Duma, which introduces some important reforms, in particular by establishing for the first time a limitation period for disciplinary action against judges, a problem identified in the Report.
Eerder deze maand berichtte RR u al over de Tunesische rechter Kalthoum Kennou.
