Jun 18, 2015 | News
Today, the ICJ expressed concern at the attempt to initiate criminal proceedings against the President of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, following interrogations of judges of the Constitutional Court and seizures of documents from the Court earlier this year.
On 16 June, the Chair of the Security Council of Ukraine, Valentin Nalivaychenko, is reported to have filed evidence alleging criminal offences by the President of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Jury Baulin.
The documents allege that he abused his office in violation of Article 364(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, leading to the usurpation of power by the former President, Victor Yanukovich.
The allegations relate to a decision of the Constitutional Court of 30 September 2010, No 20-rp/2010, which overturned the adoption of the Constitution of 2004.
The initiation of the criminal proceedings is therefore based entirely on a ruling of the Constitutional Court on a question of constitutional law.
“It is inherent in the judicial function that courts issue rulings concerning matters on which public opinion may be divided. Prosecution of judges in relation to such decisions undermines judicial independence and erodes the rule of law,” said Wilder Tayler, ICJ Secretary General. “In all times but particularly in times of transition, such as at present in Ukraine, it is crucial that the executive refrain from any interference with the independence of the judiciary”.
The ICJ stressed that such attempts to initiate criminal proceedings against the President of the Constitutional Court are contrary to international law and standards on the independence of the judiciary, including the UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary.
“Changes to the law or Constitution, must be sought and brought about through proper constitutional processes in the legislature and courts, not through prosecutions of judges. Criminal investigations and prosecutions against Constitutional Court judges must be discontinued and the government must ensure that the Court can operate without threats or interference,” Tayler added.
Following the change of government in early 2014, the ICJ expressed concern at the dismissals of judges of the Constitutional Court by the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) and called on the authorities to ensure the security of tenure of judges and non-interference with judicial independence.
Earlier this year, the Security Service of Ukraine interrogated sitting judges of the Constitutional Court in regard to the same case.
According to the State Security Service, at least 10 judges of the Constitutional Court have been interrogated. Moreover, the Security Service of Ukraine seized documents from the Constitutional Court in May 2015.
These investigations and prosecutions of Constitutional Court judges are taking place at a time when the Court is considering a number of highly significant cases, including the constitutionality of the Law “On cleansing of power”, the Law “On condemnation of the communist and national-socialist (nazi) regimes in Ukraine and prohibition of propaganda of their symbols” and the Law on an “All-Ukrainian referendum”.
The ICJ recalls that Article 1 of the UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary clarifies that all governmental and other institutions must respect and observe the independence of the judiciary.
The principles further stipulate that [t]he judiciary shall decide matters before them impartially, on the basis of facts and in accordance with the law without restrictions or improper influences, inducements, pressures threats or interferences, direct or indirect, from any quarter or for any reason” (Article 2).
Recommendation No. R(94) 12 of the Committee of Ministers to Members States on the Independence, Efficiency and Role of Judges elaborates on this principle, stipulating that “judges should have unfettered freedom to decide cases impartially, in accordance with their conscience and their interpretation of the facts, and in pursuance of the prevailing rules of the law. Judges should not be obliged to report on the merits of their cases to anyone outside the judiciary”.
Contact:
Róisín Pillay, Director, Europe Programme, e: roisin.pillay(a)icj.org
Temur Shakirov, Legal Adviser, Europe Programme, e: temur.shakirov(a)icj.org
External link: Official information about the criminal procedure
Jun 16, 2015 | Новости, Статьи
17 июня МКЮ проведет наблюдение за процессом в Верховном Суде Кыргызской Республики по делу об обысках, произведенных сотрудниками правоохранительных органов в офисе и домах адвокатов Валериана Вахитова и Хусанбая Салиева.
В свете запрета на произвольное вмешательство в право на уважение частной жизни, переписки и жилища будет рассматриваться вопрос об адвокатской тайне и о выемке адвокатских досье.
Верховный Суд Кыргызской Республики рассмотрит жалобу прокуратуры на постановление Ошского областного суда от 30 апреля 2015 г.
Прокуратура также требует вынести частное определение в отношении судей Ошского областного суда, которые приняли решение в пользу защиты гарантий профессиональной адвокатской деятельности, признав обыски и выемку документов незаконными.
В состав миссии МКЮ по наблюдению за процессом входят: Ольга Зимарева, адвокат, практикующая в Российской Федерации, и Алмаз Османова, адвокат из Кыргызской Республики и председатель Лиги юристов Центральной Азии.
По результатам рассмотрения дела МКЮ опубликует свой обзор процесса и постановления Верховного Суда Кыргызской Республики в свете международного права в области прав человека и международных стандартов, касающихся независимости судебных органов и роли адвокатов.
Контакты:
Роушин Пиллей, директор Региональной программы МКЮ по Европе, roisin.pillay(a)icj.org
Тимур Шакиров, правовой советник Региональной программы МКЮ по Европе, temur.shakirov(a)icj.org
Kyrgyzstan-Trial observation-News-Web story-2015-RUS (полная история на русском, PDF)
Jun 16, 2015 | News
On 17 June, the ICJ will observe proceedings before the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic concerning searches of the workplace and homes of lawyers Valerian Vakhitov and Khusanbay Salieyv by law enforcement agents.
The case concerns confidentiality of lawyer-client communications and seizure of lawyers’ files, in light of the prohibition of arbitrary interference with privacy, correspondence, and home.
The Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic is to consider the challenge of the Prosecutor’s Office to the decision of the Regional Osh Court of 30 April 2015.
The prosecutor also seeks disciplinary measures against the judges of the Regional Court who decided in favour of the protection of the professional guarantees of lawyers, ruling that the searches and seizures of documents were illegal.
The ICJ trial observation mission includes Olga Zimareva, a lawyer practicing in the Russian Federation and Almaz Osmanova, a lawyer in the Kyrgyz Republic and chair of the Central Asian League of Lawyers.
Following the conclusion of the case, the ICJ will publish its analysis of the proceedings and the judgment of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic in light of international human rights law and international standards on the independence of the judiciary and the role of lawyers.
Contact:
Róisín Pillay, Director, Europe Programme, roisin.pillay(a)icj.org
Temur Shakirov, Legal Adviser, Europe Programme, temur.shakirov(a)icj.org
Kyrgyzstan-Trial observation-News-Web story-2015-RUS (full text in PDF, Russian)
Jun 16, 2015
The ICJ presented a legal submission in the case Annagi Hajibeyli v. Azerbaijan and 28 other applications (Application no. 2204/11) to the European Court of Human Rights.
The submission concerns seizure of a lawyer’s documents of cases of his clients.
The submission focuses on international standards on the role of lawyers, including the obligation of non-interference with the work of lawyers and respect for lawyer-client confidentiality, as well as application of article 34 of the European Convention to the hindrance of the existence of the right to petition through interference with lawyers’ activities.
Azerbaijan-Hajibeyli v Azerbaijan final160615-Advocacy-legal submission-2015-ENG (full text in PDF)
Jun 8, 2015
Today, the ICJ jointly with the AIRE Centre and ILGA-Europe submitted written submissions in the case of Klobučar v. Croatia (Application no. 28416/14) before the European Court of Human Rights.
The case, which concerns alleged ill-treatment at the hands of state officials motivated by homophobia, provides the Court with an important opportunity to identify the scope of the State Parties’ procedural obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights in such cases. These include the duty to take all reasonable steps to identify whether there has been any discriminatory motive behind the treatment said to be in violation of the Convention based on animus or prejudice against one’s real or imputed same-sex sexual orientation and/or gender identity or expression.
The submissions focus on:
- The nature and scope of the positive obligations of Contracting Parties under the Convention in respect of allegations disclosing credible evidence of treatment prohibited under Article 3;
- Same-sex sexual orientation and/or gender identity as a ground of discrimination; and
- The duty to take all reasonable steps to identify any discriminatory motive in connection with allegations of ill-treatment.
CROATIA-AMICUS in KLOBUCAR ECtHR-LEGAL SUBMISSION-2015-ENG
