🇺🇳⚖️ New position paper “Reclaiming Justice” by SR on independence of judges & lawyers: “Instrumentalization of the justice system” is a human rights violation it encompasses the myriad ways justice systems are being misused to punish & inflict harm, rather than deliver justice tinyurl.com/y7tkx5p6

⚖️🇺🇳”Judicial appointments are not merely administrative decisions, they are human rights decisions. The way judges are selected shapes every person’s right to a fair hearing before an independent and impartial tribunal.” New report, Principles for Judicial Appointments : www.ohchr.org/en/documents...

A/HRC/62/43: Principles for judicial appointments - Report of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers

The present report sets out principles aimed at ensuring that judicial selection and appointment reinforce independence and impartiality and sustain public confidence in the administration of justice.

ohchr.org

Judges4Judges is concerned about the ongoing media campaign to discredit Georgian judge Vladimir Khutchua. There are strong indications that Judge Khutchua has become the target of a smear campaign due to decisions he made in a politically sensitive case. tinyurl.com/skxe2jfy

🇵🇱⚖️I promised a banger on the rule-of-law crisis in Poland, so... here it is. A group of PiS MPs have lodged a case with the Constitutional Tribunal, asking it to find the rules of electing the judges of the same Tribunal, introduced in 2016 by a PiS majority, to be unconstitutional. 1/

⚖️Morawiec v. Poland ➡️Decision suspending judge from duties discouraged her, and other judges, from speaking out against judicial reforms 🔗 tinyurl.com/25xftf8h

⚖️🇵🇱 The Polish MoJ Waldemar Żurek: “We've got it! The amendment to the National Council of the Judiciary Act has been passed. Many thanks to all the Members of Parliament! tinyurl.com/yscvvvzb

⚖️🇵🇱Parliament is working on a project that’s to restore the right to an independent & impartial court. These guarantees aren’t needed by a specific party group, but are needed by all people in Poland, said judge Bartłomiej Przymusiński of Judges association Iustitia. tinyurl.com/3cv5bs6w

Nawrocki podpisze zmiany w sądownictwie? "Pokazałoby to nową jakość prezydentury"

Parlament pracuje nad projektem, który ma przywrócić prawo do niezależnego i bezstronnego sądu. - Te gwarancje są potrzebne nie określonemu ugrupowaniu partyjnemu, tylko potrzebne są wszystkim ludziom...

tinyurl.com

⚖️🇪🇺EAJ, ENCJ and ACA Europe issued a joint statement regarding judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court targeted by the sanctions of the USA. eaj.iaj-uim.org/eaj-encj-and...

⚖️🇪🇺🇵🇱On 14 January 2026 EAJ commemorated the 6th anniversary of the 1000 Robes March in a special event at the European Parliament in Brussels. eaj.iaj-uim.org/january-11-d...

I co-authored a TPI with @j4j.bsky.social in this case after being granted leave to intervene by the President of the Section. In the five 🇵🇱 rule of law crisis related cases we joined as third-party interveners, the Court found violations of the ECtHR cc @medeleurope.bsky.social

Another big (ECHR) #ruleoflaw day (at least for me) next week as the ECtHR will issue its judgment in Biliński v. Poland (no. 13278/20) on Thursday 15 Jan 2026. This is a 🇵🇱 rule of law crisis related case in which I submitted a TPI with @j4j.bsky.social www.rechtersvoorrechters.nl/media/polen/...

Laurent Pech 🇺🇦@profpech.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Big (EU) #ruleoflaw day in Feb. In my last @ceudeminst.bsky.social WP, I outlined how the VDL Comm released funding to Orban under obvious false pretences & how it has failed to claw back EU funds notwithstanding obvious/continuing rule of law violations democracyinstitute.ceu.edu/articles/lau...

🇷🇴⚖️“The state of judicial independence in Romania has come into the spotlight following one of the biggest corruption scandals in the country’s history and two weeks of mass protests in Bucharest calling for judicial reform.” Explainer on JURIST tinyurl.com/5n7c6abk 👇🏾

Explainer: The judiciary corruption scandal rocking Romania

The state of judicial independence in Romania has come into the spotlight following one of the biggest corruption scandals in the country's history and two weeks of mass protests in Bucharest calling....

jurist.org

With comments by @profkochenov.bsky.social, @annawojcik.bsky.social, Prof Wojciech Sadurski & yours truly www.courthousenews.com/eu-court-say...

EU court says Poland broke law by sidelining judges and tainted constitutional court

Europe’s top judges said Poland crossed a red line by letting its constitutional court block EU law and operate with improperly appointed judges, in a ruling that revisits a decade-long battle over ju...

courthousenews.com

Laurent Pech 🇺🇦@profpech.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Dec 2017: "Today in Poland the constitutionality of legislation can no longer be guaranteed" following capture of Constitutional Tribunal (Commission) Dec 2025: 🇵🇱 (Un)constitutional tribunal ceased to be a court by Dec 2016 following process of irregular appointments starting in Dec 2015 (ECJ)

🇺🇸⚖️On 18/12/25 after several hours of deliberation, a federal jury in Wisconsin convicted Judge Hannah Dugan on a felony obstruction charge, Count Two in the indictment against her. They acquitted her on the misdemeanor charge in Count One. Read Joyce Vance’s analysis: tinyurl.com/4akb384d

Thursday Evening

Tonight, at just about the same time, there was news in both the Brown University shooting case and in the prosecution of Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan.

open.substack.com

⚖️ Judgment in Case C-448/23 Commission v Poland: What happens when a national constitutional court challenges the primacy of EU law? 🎥 💬 Judge Irmantas Jarukaitis explains with subtitles available in all EU languages 👉 curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/p1... 📰 PR 👉 curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/Jo...

⚖️ICC: new sanctions by the 🇺🇸US administration against 🇬🇪Judge Lordkipanidze (Georgia) and 🇲🇳Judge Damdin (Mongolia) are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates pursuant to the mandate conferred by its States Parties. ⚖️ tinyurl.com/ycy7rjnj

ICC strongly rejects new U.S. sanctions designations against two ICC Judges

The International Criminal Court deplores the announcement of new designations for sanctions by the US administration against Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze (Georgia) and Judge Erdenebalsuren Damdin (Mongolia). These additional designations follow the earlier designation of nine elected officials of the Judiciary and the Office of the Prosecutor, drawn from all regional groups.These sanctions are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates pursuant to the mandate conferred by its States Parties from across regions. Such measures targeting judges and prosecutors who were elected by the States Parties undermine the rule of law. When judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, it is the international legal order itself that is placed at risk.As previously stated, the Court stands firmly behind its personnel and behind victims of unimaginable atrocities. It will continue to carry out its mandate with independence and impartiality, in full accordance with the Rome Statute and in the interest of victims of international crimes.The ICC values the consistent demonstrations of solidarity of States Parties, civil society and all those who support the rule of law and justice for the victims of international crimes. The Court will continue its work, with all partners, to ensure the effective and independent implementation of its mandate.For more information, please contact the ICC Public Affairs Unit: PublicAffairs.Unit@icc-cpi.int. You can also follow the Court’s activities on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Flickr

icc-cpi.int

📽️ Watch a video explainer on the case of Danileţ v. Romania. 📘 Press release: t.co/66tbLAZ8cN ⚖️ Violation of judge’s right to freedom of expression on account of sanction for Facebook posts of public interest 🔗 www.youtube.com/watch?v=d68M...

Video explainer on the case of Danileţ v. Romania

YouTube video by European Court of Human Rights

youtube.com

🇺🇳⚖️The UN SR on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers - Margaret Satterthwaite is seeking written input for her next thematic report on principles of judicial appointments. 🗓️The deadline is January 16, 2026. The call is here: ohchr.org/en/calls-for-i…x.com/srjudgeslawy...12

🇺🇸⚖️Judge Hannah Dugan's trial starts today. Wisconsin state Judge Dugan was indicted by the Justice Department last May for helping a noncitizen try to evade arrest by immigration authorities at the county courthouse where she sits. Read what Joyce Vance says about this: tinyurl.com/2py3p7fc

🇷🇸⚖️“WE DO NOT SUCCUMB TO PRESSURE”: Prosecutors and judges held a protest earlier this week in front of the Constitutional court, opposing the new judicial laws! | Serbiantimes.info EN tinyurl.com/2arxbmav

“WE DO NOT SUCCUMB TO PRESSURE”: Prosecutors and judges held a protest in front of the Constitutional court, opposing the new judicial laws! | Serbiantimes.info EN

A group of judges and prosecutors from all over Serbia called on judges, prosecutors, lawyers, students, and citizens to protest against, as they state, political pressure on the judiciary, primarily ...

serbiantimes.info

🇬🇧⚖️“It is never acceptable to put people's safety, families, or homes at risk,” said Barbara Mills KC, chair of the Bar. “We are deeply concerned by the targeting of lawyers and judges who serve our justice system and uphold democratic principles.” tinyurl.com/bdkntj6s

Immigration judges targeted by far right after Tory MP’s campaign | The Observer

observer.co.uk

🎥 The full interview with Presidents Lenaerts (CJEU) and Guyomar (@echr.coe.int) is now out! Here’s a short highlight ⬇️ Full version here 👉 curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/p1... #FundamentalRights #ECtHR #CJEU

🇪🇺⚖️“The judges who filled the Grande Salle were not abstract protagonists in a technical dispute. They were the very actors who keep the Union’s constitutional ship afloat. The question now is whether they will be allowed to sound the alarm while the ship of justice is on fire.” tinyurl.com/3fk3543y

Op-Ed: “Is the European Ship of Justice on Fire? Inside the Medel & Others v Council (C-555/24 P) Grand Chamber Hearing on the Standing of Judicial Associations” - EU Law Live

On 2 December 2025, the Grande Salle of the Court of Justice was filled with judges as it rarely is: on the bench, in the public gallery, and exceptionally, …

tinyurl.com

The four associations of judges launched their lawsuits to contribute to upholding judicial independence in the European Union and to stand by the suspended Polish judges. See the streaming of the hearing C-555/24 P 🌀curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/p1_1… 🌀See our press release: tinyurl.com/kc8vxjhj

#Medel represented by Monika Frackowiak and Filipe Marques #EAJ_AEM_ERV #AEAJ2000 @j4j.bsky.social were heard by @eucourtofjustice.bsky.social Grand Chamber (case C-555/24 P). The associations launched the lawsuit to contribute to upholding judicial independence and stand by the suspended🇵🇱judges

🇪🇺⚖️ At 9 am the CJEU will hear the appeal (C-555/24 P) of 4 European organisations of judges against the GC order refusing them standing to challenge the Council’s approval of the Polish Recovery and Resilience Plan as it contains inadequate safeguards regarding the rule of law.

Judges4Judges wishes to congratulate Medel’s new bureau & thank the outgoing bureau for the fruitful cooperation these past years. We would also like to thank the🇬🇷Association of Greek Judges & Public Prosecutors for Democracy & Liberties for the well organised conference weekend! medelnet.eu

IBAHRI condemns Pakistan’s 27th Constitutional Amendment as flagrant attack on judicial independence and with long-term consequences for constitutional governance & the protection of fundamental rights. tinyurl.com/297m8mwp

2023: Commission unblocks €10.2B for Hungary on back of Potemkin-judicial "reforms" 2024-25: Non-stop violations of judicial independence, with latest wave of intimidation in open breach of EU law outlined in this @verfassungsblog.de post. Consequence: none with no money clawed back...

Verfassungsblog@verfassungsblog.de · 9mo ago

In Hungary, judges are being doxed – their names, addresses, and private data leaked and publicized for supposed political leanings. TAMÁS MATUSIK traces how this new wave of intimidation exposes the fragile state of judicial independence in Hungary. verfassungsblog.de/hungary-judg...

🌍⚖️The new WJP Rule of Law Index 2025 is out! Judicial independence, the last line of defense against executive overreach, is weakening. The Index shows that judiciaries are losing ground to executive overreach, with rising political interference across justice systems. tinyurl.com/mwj2z5bf