Oct 22, 2019 | News
On 25 and 26 October, the ICJ in Central America will hold the VII Regional Conference on Judicial Independence, with the central theme of the protection and security of Judges.
The Conference will discuss the role that governments should play in the protection of judges, as well as the relationship between judicial independence and security of those who deliver justice.
Participants from outside the region include Radmila Dragicevic Justice of the Supreme Court of Cassation of Serbia and Vice-President of the ICJ; José Antonio Martín Pallín, Judge Emeritus of the Spanish Supreme Court of Justice and ICJ Commissioner, and Erland Flaterud and Finn Arne Schanche, both judges from Norway.
Nine other judges from Central America will attend, including Leonardo Ramírez of the Supreme Court of Justice of El Salvador Murcia and Fernando Cruz Castro, President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica.
The ICJ regrets that the Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala has not been in a position to receive this important delegation at its plenary on 23 October to address the issue of the security of judges.
The ICJ recalls that this Conference is held within the framework of a letter of cooperation and understanding agreed with the former President of the Judicial Branch and the Supreme Court of Justice, Ranulfo Rojas Cetina in 2015.
The ICJ is particularly concerned that there is presently an unfilled vacancy for Chief of Security for the judiciary, following the resignation of the former Chief who had allegedly engaged in conduct not consistent with his function.
Ramón Cadena, Director of the ICJ for Central America, said: “It is the duty of the Supreme Court of Justice to inform the Guatemalan public about the Judges Protection System, so that it does not become a source of corruption or in any way interferes with the work of independent, and impartial judges.”
In Guatemala, the international delegation will meet with judges such as Yassmín Barrios, Ericka Aifán, Miguel Ángel Gálvez, Carlos Ruano and Pablo Xitumul among others. They have been the subject of seemingly unfounded complaints which have posed risks to their personal security and independent judicial functioning.
Oct 12, 2015 | News
In coordination with the Norwegian Judges’ Association and the Guatemalan Mayan Bar Association, the ICJ inaugurated today a two-day Conference in Guatemala City.
The Conference was inaugurated by Jan Gerhard Lassen (the Norwegian Ambassador for Guatemala), Josué Baquiax Baquiax (President of the Supreme Court ), ICJ Commissioner José Antonio Martín Pallín and Director of the ICJ in Central America, Ramón Cadena.
The main topics of discussion were the need to strengthen the judicial career, and associationism.
Guatemala currently has only one formal judge´s association, which was identified by the speakers at the Conference as not consistently acting in the best interests of independent judges, necessitating the creation of an alternative association.
In terms of the judicial career, judges from around the region discussed the changes necessary to the law in Guatemala to ensure that judges are protected from undue pressures coming from outside, and within the judiciary.
The Conference concludes tomorrow with a public forum which will showcase the results of two forthcoming ICJ studies on judicial independence and specialized justice.
Apr 5, 2014 | News
El 5 de abril de 2014 tribunal de honor del colegio de abogados de Guatemala emitió una resolución en la que acordó la “suspensión temporal en el ejercicio de su profesión a la jueza Yasmin Barrios” por haber faltado el respeto al abogado Moises Galindo.
Nov 1, 2013 | News
Jueces europeos y centroamericanos expresaron en Tegucigalpa su preocupación por la falta de independencia del sistema judicial en países como Honduras, Guatemala y El Salvador.
Instaron a los Estados a tomar medidas para garantizar la autonomía de esa rama del poder público.
El 31 de octubre y 1 de noviembre se llevó a cabo en la ciudad de Tegucigalpa (Honduras) el foro denominado “Encuentro de Juristas Europeos y Centroamericanos: experiencias sobre la defensa de la independencia judicial”.
Durante el mismo, se tuvo la oportunidad de intercambiar experiencias en torno a las amenazas que hoy día persisten en contra de la independencia judicial y las medidas que los estados de Centroamérica deben tomar para fortalecer los diferentes sistemas de justicia en la región.
El foro reconoce el papel fundamental que tienen todos los jueces y juezas en la construcción y consolidación de la Democracia y el Estado de Derecho en Centroamérica; las y los participantes expresan su preocupación porque aún existen serias amenazas a la independencia judicial, entendiéndose dicha independencia como una garantía para los ciudadanos y ciudadanas.
En tal sentido, los estados centroamericanos deben respetar plenamente la independencia del Poder Judicial.
Honduras-Foro Jueces Independencia en CA-news-web story-2013-spa (full text in pdf)
Jun 6, 2013 | Multimedia items, News, Photo galleries
Judges from Central America met in Guatemala on 4-5 June at the International Conference on Impunity and Independence of the Judiciary.
The Conference was organized by the ICJ with the support of the Canton de Genève, Dan Churchaid and medico international.
