Today, on December 12th, the High Council of Justice (HCJ) appointed Taras Kuzyk as the new Head of the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors (SDI). This marks the full establishment of the SDI, with operations set to commence on December 23. The SDI is an independent body within the HCJ, established to address the backlog of… Continue reading Formation complete: HCJ appoints the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors Head
The Selection Commission responsible for selecting candidates for the High Council of Justice (HCJ) has announced a competition to fill two vacant positions for HCJ members under the President’s quota. The application period is open until December 10, 2024 (inclusive). Further details can be found here. Since April 2023, President Zelensky has yet to appoint… Continue reading The Presidential commission announces competition for two HCJ member positions
In this material, we are going to look at the statistics of the HCJ’s activity overall and its individual members between November 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024, and point out the most significant cases that were reviewed, or not, in the second six months after the disciplinary function of the HCJ was restored. This… Continue reading A year of consideration of disciplinary cases: how HCJ members work
7 Misconceptions about Judicial Reform in Ukraine
On October 9, the High Council of Justice (HCJ), following a motion by Serhiy Burlakov, terminated disciplinary proceedings against Ivan Rybak, a judge of the Kyiv Court of Appeal. Another HCJ member, Salikhov, acted more like Rybak’s advocate during the session. Rybak had overturned a detention order for an entrepreneur accused of embezzling 1.7 billion… Continue reading Controversial hearing without prosecutor or media: judge Rybak escapes penalty thanks to Burlakov and Salikhov
On November 8, 2023, the EU Commission presented its first Ukraine report as a candidate country and recommended opening the negotiations. The report included a list of suggestions for further reforms and improvements. Our Shadow Report aims to provide an independent civil society assessment of Ukraine’s continued progress in the judiciary and fight against corruption,… Continue reading Rule of law, justice, and fundamental rights in Ukraine: Shadow Report
On October 10, the High Council of Justice (HCJ) took a step towards cleansing the judiciary. By majority vote, the notorious judge Inna Otrosh was dismissed. The dissenting votes came from Serhii Burlakov, Vitalii Salikhov, and Inna Plakhtii. During the hearing, rapporteur Oleh Kandziuba emphasized his recommendation to dismiss Inna Otrosh based on a Supreme… Continue reading Cleansing in action: the High Council of Justice dismisses judge Otrosh from the list of 180 low-integrity judges
Tomorrow, on October 10th, the High Council of Justice (HCJ) faces a pivotal test, one that could significantly impact the course of judicial reform. On the agenda is the review of judges Otrosh Jr., Zorik, and Hurenko, all of whom are on the list of 180 judges of low integrity. The Supreme Court has been… Continue reading Crucial choice: whose side will the High Council of Justice take — the Supreme Court or judicial reform?
Tomorrow, on September 18, the High Council of Justice (HCJ), specifically Serhiy Burlakov, plans to dismiss the disciplinary case filed by DEJURE Foundation against former Supreme Court President Vsevolod Knyaziev. This case concerns an alleged almost $3 million bribe he accepted in May 2023. DEJURE reveals how this move may set a precedent for other… Continue reading New strategy for shielding low-integrity judges: a recipe from Serhiy Burlakov
After the detrimental ruling of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court regarding judge Usatyi, the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) and the High Council of Justice (HCJ) were at a crossroads: whether to continue vetting of 180 judges with the Public Integrity Council (PIC) negative opinions or to start vetting the Supreme Court… Continue reading It’s happened: The HQCJ schedules an interview with the judge the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court tried to save
Today, on September 10, the Selection Commission officially announced the results of the competition for the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors (SDI) of the High Council of Justice (HCJ). This news was reported by AutoMaidan, which actively monitored and analyzed the selection process. The list of 24 SDI members will now be submitted to the HCJ… Continue reading First step towards establishing the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors of the High Council of Justice
On Tuesday, August 6, the High Council of Justice (HCJ) finally dismissed the former President of the Supreme Court, Vsevolod Knyazev, from his position as a judge. However, this decision was made based on the “apartment for 1000 UAH” case and not the much-publicised $3 million bribe. Back in June 2023, we filed a complaint… Continue reading How the HCJ member Burlakov (didn’t) move the case against Vsevolod Knyazev forward
