Judges ought to be more learned than witty, more reverend than plausible, and more advised than confident. Above all things, integrity is their portion and proper virtue.

Francis Bacon, Essays, Civil and Moral: Of Judicature (LVI)

Dear friends of Judges for Judges,

In writing this short preface to this newsletter I am looking back at a week full of activities by Judges for Judges. We have been busy preparing for print a new edition of the booklet ‘Matters of Principle’, while this week also saw the fourth time Judges for Judges met with a new group of trainee judges at SSR, the Study Centre for the Judiciary, and discussed core values, codes and straight-backed judges. Looking forward I am delighted to go and see – as a member of the jury – the films that show at the ‘Camera Justitia Program’ at the upcoming ‘Movies that Matter Festival’, and meet the inspiring guests that will speak at this festival.

This newsletter contains relatively a lot of good news, for example about dismissed judges who have been re-instated after years of proceedings and international pressure – including by us.

Sadly, we also have to conclude that nothing has changed for the better in the case of Venezuelan judge Maria Afiuni. The executive there does not seem to value a real independent judiciary. The question remains when things will change for the better.

In conclusion, I would like to say that by far not all activities by Judges for Judges are related in our newsletter: not every case benefits from publicity. I do want to mention that in the last couple of weeks we have had very constructive talks with the Centre for International legal Cooperation (CILC) and with Justice & Peace about their lovely project Shelter City Netherlands. The talks provided a good opportunity to get to know each other and to see how we could mutually reinforce our activities.

I appreciate that you are willing to take the time to read about judges who can (or could) use our support!

Tamar Trotman
Chairman