Georgian Judges Release Statement after Extraordinary Conference
By Tea Mariamidze
Monday, January 28
Georgian judges speak about the unhealthy processes in the judiciary system, including “disrespectful and aggressive attitude” towards them, in the joint statement released after the 25th extraordinary conference of judges.
In the statement, the judges address the legislative and executive authorities, diplomatic missions and international organizations to objectively analyze and evaluate the ongoing processes and take all necessary measures to ensure that “pressure on judicial authorities is ended and they are allowed to continue working in a calm environment.”
“This tendency was especially deepened after the High Council of Justice (HCOJ) used its constitutional rights and submitted judicial candidates to the Parliament to eradicate the crisis in the Supreme Court,” the judges said, adding that some non-governmental organizations started to artificially discredit the process of selection of lifetime judges.
The statement reads that demands were raised for the suspension of the powers of judges and dismissal of the High Council of Justice, adding this grossly contradicts the Constitution of Georgia and international standards of judicial independence.
The judges claim the constitutional reform carried out in 2017-2018 provided solid guarantees for the independence of the judiciary, but unfortunately, some political parties, together with NGOs, are trying to undermine this independence.
“Development of the court, increasing public confidence and the degree of independence is an irreversible process, but it is important that the campaign of slander be over against the judicial members of the High Council of Justice of Georgia,” the statement reads.
At the congress, the judges said that the statements of the non-judge members of the HCOJ, Nazi Janezashvili and Ana Dolidze about the existence of the clan in the judicial system, is a lie and an attempt to “discredit the whole system.”
Judge Mikheil Dolidze claimed that Dolidze and Janezashvili’s actions are orchestrated by some people, adding they fight HCOJ and the court system.
“The scope of constructive cooperation is not protected ... It is obvious that they are acting on behalf of some group of people,” he added.
Janezashvili also delivered a speech at the conference. According to her, the unanimous statement of the judges strengthened her doubts about the existence of a clan within the system.
“I could not have imagined that 279 people would gather only to criticize Ana Dolidze and me and make ungrounded statements about us,” she noted.
Janezashvili and Dolidze are the ones who criticized the controversial list of 10 Supreme Court judges, selected by the HCOJ on December 24.
They claimed the submitted judges were “linked with politically motivated cases and biased judiciary” and called on the parliament not to support it.
They also offered the lawmakers the principles for selection of the Supreme Court lifetime judges.
