DEJURE calls on the HCJ to restore the online broadcasting of its sessions

According to Article 30 of the Law “On High Council of Justice”, the sessions of the HCJ and its disciplinary chambers should be held openly. Thus, any interested individual can be present at a session and conduct photo and video filming. After the introduction of quarantine, this opportunity became impossible.

At the same time, the HCJ provides reasonable recommendations for courts to broadcast court hearings online.

For several years, the HCJ broadcasted its session online on its official website, which ensured enough transparency of its activity. This proves that the HCJ has technical capabilities to organizes broadcasting. However, in November 2019, the HCJ stopped these online broadcastings.

As justification, the HCJ stated that the sessions are open and anyone can be physically present at them. But now such possibility disappeared.

We officially addressed the HCJ with a request to restore the online broadcastings of its sessions and the sessions of disciplinary chambers in the nearest time. Under current circumstances, it is the only possible way to ensure the openness of these sessions as it is provided by law.

Broadcastings should be restored starting April 6, when the Second disciplinary chamber of the HCJ will adopt a decision on the beginning of disciplinary proceedings of the high public insert against several judges. The session on April 9 should also be opened. This day the HCJ will review the cases on the dismissal of a number of judges of the Supreme Court (SC) and the president of the Oktiabrskyi district court of Poltava Oleksandr Strukov.

Recently, we filed a lawsuit against the HCJ by email, which can make the reviewing of disciplinary complaint against judge Strukov more efficient.

We hope that the HCJ will consider our call and will broadcast its session at least for the period of quarantine.