Oct 27, 2020 | Advocacy, Cases, Legal submissions
The ICJ and Amnesty International have presented today a third party intervention before the European Court of Human Rights in the case of the premature dismissal of Judge Waldemar Zurek from his position in the National Judicial Council.
In the case Zurek v. Poland, the ICJ and Amnesty International presented submissions on the scope of application of the right to a fair trial under Article 6.1 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in cases relating to the role of an independent judiciary and its members through self-governance mechanisms (such as the National Council of the Judiciary) in light of international standards on judicial councils, judicial appointments, the judicial career and security of tenure; of the Court’s Convention jurisprudence; and of general principles on the rule of law and the role and independence of the judiciary.
They further submitted obervations on the scope of the right to freedom of expression under Article 10 ECHR as applied to judges, including those engaged in the administration of the judiciary.
ECtHR-AmicusBrief-Zurek_v_Poland-Advocacy-Legal-Submission-2020-ENG (download the third party intervention)
Oct 27, 2020 | Agendas, Events, News
The International Commission of Jurists and the Human Rights Joint Platform (IHOP) invite you to a conversation on the past and current situation of the fight against impunity in Turkey with eminent international and Turkish expert.
Registation is on a first come first served basis by writing to: ihop@ihop.org.tr
Join our speakers:
– Juan Mendez, former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture
– Wilder Taylor, Former Secretary-General of ICJ and chair of Uruguary NPM
– Luciano A. Hazan, Member of the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance
– Melis Gebeş, Lawyer, Truth Justice and Memory Center:
– Feray Salman, General Coordinator of Human Rights Joint Platform
IHOPICJ-ZoomConference-ImpunityTurkey-Agenda-2020-ENG (download the agenda in English)
IHOPICJ-ZoomConference-ImpunityTurkey-Agenda-2020-TUR (download the agenda in Turkish)
The event is part of the REACT project: implemented jointly by ICJ and IHOP, this project seeks to support the role of civil society actors in turkey in ensuring effective access to justice for the protection of human rights. This project is funded by the European Union. The views expressed in the event do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the EU.
Oct 21, 2020 | News
The ICJ condemned the dismissal of eight judges and three prosecutors by Turkey’s Council of Judges and Prosecutors (CJP) on 14 October 2020, for alleged membership of or connections with the Gülenist movement as a violation their right to a fair trial.
The ICJ calls on the CJP to revoke its order. In case any further is to be taken, the cases should be re-examined under the ordinary dismissal procedures. The ICJ also urges the Turkish Government and Parliament to modify the constitutional rules on the CJP to ensure its full independence.
“This decision not only affects the rights of the judges and prosecutors at stake, but also the Turkish population as whole, which damages the functioning of a fair and independent justice system bound by the rule of law,” said Massimo Frigo, Senior Legal Adviser with the ICJ Europe and Central Asia Programme.
The decision by the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (CJP) is particularly problematic because it was not accompanied by any reasoning on the individual situation of each judge and prosecutor.
International law provides that judges may be dismissed only through a fair hearing before an independent authority. The lack of individual reasoning in dismissal decisions strikes at the heart of the right to a fair hearing.
As the ICJ demonstrated in the 2018 report Justice Suspended, within the current constitutional framework, the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (CJP) is itself not provided with the guarantees necessary to ensure its institutional independence.
Despite the state of emergency having been lifted since July 2018, extraordinary powers given to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors to dismiss judges and prosecutors during the State of Emergency still apply, having been extended for three years by Law no. 7145.
“It is unacceptable in a State governed by the rule of law that judges and prosecutors – whatever charges may be against them – be dismissed without a fair procedure, in disregard of international law,” added Massimo Frigo.
Background
On 14 October the Council of Judges and Prosecutors made use of special powers to dismiss judges and prosecutors without complying with the ordinary procedure, invoking extraordinary powers enacted by Law No 7145 of 31.07.2018. The decision was issued in the Official Gazette on 30 October 2020. This legislation inserted into ordinary law several powers that had previously applied under the state of emergency legislation. More than 30 judges have so far been dismissed under this procedure since the end of the state of emergency.
One of the amendments made by Law No 7145 of 31.07.2018 was to the Decree Law No 375 dated 1989. A Temporary Article (Article 35) was added to the Decree. On the basis of this article, the General Assembly of the Constitutional Court, the Presidency Councils of Court of Appeal, the Council of State, the General Assembly of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors, a Commission set up by the Ministry of National Security, and the Presidency of the Court of Audit, were each authorized to take dismissal decisions for public officials/judges and prosecutors under their mandate for three years from the date of the endorsement of the law No 7145
The decision to dismiss the nine judges and two prosecutors was made on 14 October 2020 and published in the Official Gazette on 20 October 2020. After recalling Law no 7145 that enables the dismissal of judges and prosecutors by the Board, the decision states that all defendants have asked to submit their written defences. The decision also indicates that this is not a criminal conviction. The decision is based on complaints received and refers to investigations on their social environment, criminal investigations and prosecutors conducted by judicial authorities in general on the Gülenist organisation/FETÖ, minutes of hearings, contents of the communication app Bylock, statements by witnesses and suspects. However, the decision does not include any reasoning relating to the individual situation of each judge or prosecutor.
International law and standards provide that disciplinary proceedings should be conducted by an independent authority or a court with all the guarantees of a fair trial and provide the judge with the right to challenge the decision and sanction. Disciplinary sanctions should be proportionate.
The UN Basic Principles on the independence of the judiciary set out international standards for discipline, suspension and removal of judges, including in order to ensure impartiality and independence of courts and tribunals as required by international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. The Basic Principles state that a “charge or complaint made against a judge in his/her judicial and professional capacity shall be processed expeditiously and fairly under an appropriate procedure. The judge shall have the right to a fair hearing. The examination of the matter at its initial stage shall be kept confidential, unless otherwise requested by the judge.”
The Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) adds that “a Head of State, Minister of Justice or any other representative of political authorities cannot take part in the disciplinary body.”
Contact
Massimo Frigo, ICJ Senior Legal Adviser for the Europe and Central Asia Programme, t: +41 22 979 3805, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org
Oct 8, 2020 | Новости, Пресс-релизы
Сегодня Международная комиссия юристов (МКЮ), Региональное отделение Верховного комиссара ООН по правам человека (УВКПЧ) для Центральной Азии и Высшая школа судей Республики Узбекистан (ВШС) организуют национальный тренинг на тему «Международные стандарты в области экономических, социальных и культурных прав (ЭСК)». Этот двухдневный онлайн-тренинг является вторым из серии тренингов по ЭСК правам, включающие право на здравоохранение, образование, жилье, защиту прав детей и право на труд.
Целью данного онлайн-тренинга является укрепление потенциала судей, адвокатов, прокуроров, ученых-юристов и других представителей гражданского общества в области международных стандартов по ЭСК правам. Тренеры поделятся передовым опытом в области соблюдения государствами своих международных обязательств, в том числе посредством судебной практики, связанной с обеспечением доступа к правосудию в защите ЭСК прав. Онлайн-тренинги создают возможность конструктивного взаимодействия сотрудников судебных органов и других практикующих юристов, и представителей гражданского общества.
Каждый тренинг состоит из четырех модулей: (1) введение в международное право об ЭСК правах; (2) международные обязательства, касающиеся доступа к правосудию и средствам защиты ЭСК прав в национальных судах; сравнительные примеры положительной практики; (3) ЭСК права детей и (4) ЭСК права женщин. В тренинге примут участие офис Специального докладчика ООН по вопросам независимости судей и адвокатов и представители Комитета ООН по ликвидации дискриминации в отношении женщин и Комитета ООН по правам ребенка.
«Никто не мог представить себе, с какими проблемами мир столкнется всего через несколько месяцев после моего визита в Узбекистан. Мы являемся свидетелями и живем с этой беспрецедентной проблемой для отдельных людей, обществ и государств в ответ на кризис на глобальном и национальном уровне, чтобы защитить право на жизнь и здоровье, а также защитить людей от воздействия запретов и ограничений. В основе этих вызовов лежат экономические, социальные и культурные права», – сказал Диего Гарсиа-Саян, Специальный докладчик ООН по вопросам независимости судей и адвокатов, в своем видеообращении к участникам тренинга.
Франсуа Бежо, глава отдела сотрудничества Представительства Европейского Союза в Республике Узбекистан, отметил: «Пандемия коронавируса COVID-19 показала актуальность и важность экономических, социальных и культурных прав, которые должны быть обеспечены государствами, даже в чрезвычайных ситуациях. Принимая на себя международные обязательства, Узбекистан обязан уважать, защищать и соблюдать права человека, включая во время чрезвычайного положения, и обеспечивать доступ к правосудию и средствам правовой защиты».
Контакты:
Дилфуза Куролова, Консультант Международной комиссии юристов по правовым вопросам (МКЮ), dilfuza.kurolova@icj.org
Гульжахон Аманова, Координатор национальных программ Региональное отделение УВКПЧ ООН для ЦА, gamanova@ohchr.org
Уткир Халиков, Глава международного отдела Высшая школа судей при Высшем судейском совете Республики Узбекистан, inter.dep.ssj@mail.ru
Пресс-релиз.
Oct 8, 2020 | News
Today, the ICJ, the Regional office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for Central Asia and the Supreme School of Judges of the Republic of Uzbekistan (SSJ) are beginning a national training on “International law on economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights.”
This two-day online-training is the second of a series of trainings on ESC rights, including, the right to health, education, housing, child protection and rights in the workplace.
The online-training aims to build the capacity of judges, lawyers, prosecutors, legal academics and other representatives of civil society to apply international law and standards on ESC rights. Trainers will share best practices on implementation by States of their international obligations, including through judicial practice, and in ensuring access to justice for ESC rights. The online-training will also allow for exchanges between members of the judiciary, other legal practitioners, and members of civil society.
The training will be based on four modules: (1) introduction to international law on ESC rights; (2) international obligations concerning access to justice and effective remedies for ESC rights in national courts and comparative examples of good practices; (3) children`s ESC rights and (4) women`s ESC rights. The office of the UN Special Rapporteur on independence of judges and lawyers and representatives of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will participate in the training.
“Nobody could imagine the challenges the world will face only in few months after my visit to Uzbekistan. We are witnessing and living this unprecedently challenge for individuals, societies and states to response to crisis at global and national level to protect right to life and health, and to protect individuals from impact of lockdowns and restrictions. Economic, social and cultural rights are the heart of these challenges,” said Diego Garcia-Sayan, the UN Special Rapporteur on independence of judges and lawyers in his video-address to the participants of the training.
Francois Begeot, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Uzbekistan pointed out, “COVID-19 pandemic showed the urgency and importance of economic, social and cultural rights that have to be ensured by the states, even in the emergency situations. Taking international obligations, Uzbekistan has to respect, protect and fulfil human rights including during the state of emergency and ensure access to justice and legal remedies.”
Read full press release here.
Watch Diego García-Sayán speech for the event:
Contact:
Ms. Dilfuza Kurolova, Legal Consultant, ICJ Europe and Central Asia Programme, e: dilfuza.kurolova@icj.org
Ms. Guljakhon Amanova, National Program Officer, Uzbekistan, Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), e:gamanova@ohchr.org
Mr. Utkir Khalikov, Head of the international department The Supreme School of Judges under the Supreme Judicial council of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Central Asia, e: inter.dep.ssj@mail.ru
