Judges for Judges took notice with great concern of the recent developments in Poland regarding the upcoming hearings by the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court.

Together with three European Associations of Judges and Prosecutors we have sent a letter to the President of the European Commission, calling upon the European Commission to (i) urgently request the Court of Justice of the European Union for a penalty payment,  (ii) start new infringement procedures and (iii) address the prosecuting authority urging it to abandon immediately the disciplinary proceedings.

Moreover, we publicly support the open letter ‘Before it’s too late‘, published by 37 prominent worldwide academics in the field of International and Comparative Law.

Raadsheer en hoogleraar Marc de Werd geeft een update over de situatie in Polen, aan de hand van drie recente rechtszaken: (i) over de vrijheid van meningsuiting van rechters bij het Europees Hof voor de Rechten van de Mens, (ii) over de bedreigingen van de Poolse rechterlijke macht bij het Hof van Justitie van de Europese Unie en (iii) over een Nederlands overleveringsverzoek aan een Poolse rechtbank.

Continue reading ‘Er ontstaat iets als Europees bewustzijn onder rechters in de lidstaten’ →

The Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court of Poland has refused to lift the immunity of judge Igor Tuleya. It ruled that he did not violate the law by allowing media to broadcast his hearing. In a short video clip, a grateful judge Tuleya addresses the legal community worldwide: ‘It should not make us less vigilant’.

Continue reading Polish judge Igor Tuleya’s immunity upheld →

The controversial Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court of Poland has scheduled an unprecedented hearing: Judge Igor Tuleya stands to lose his immunity and his freedom. The Polish Judges Association Iustitia calls on the public to stand up in defense of judicial independence on June 8th, the day before the hearing.

Please join the online event Europe for Poland (in English) on Monday 8 June at 16:00 CET on Facebook or YouTube.

The president of the International Association of Judges has also issued an official statement, representing 92 national associations of judges expressing their deepest concern about these proceedings.

Continue reading Unprecedented disciplinary hearing for Polish judge →

The Polish associations Iustitia (judges) and Lex Super Omnia (prosecutors) have published a report to give ‘some idea of the scale of the harassment that affects judges’ in Poland.

It lists dozens of judges and prosecutors facing investigations, disciplinary proceedings and so-called ‘soft repression’.

Continue reading Polish magistrates: 5 years of repression →