The Public Integrity Council is a Ukrainian advisory council created in 2016 for helping the High Qualifications Commission of Judges (HQCJ) of Ukraine to decide on the ethical eligibility of judges.[1][2] In late 2023, a law giving the HQCJ the right to suspend members of the Public Integrity Council was launched in Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament.[3]
| Established | 2016  (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Types | organization |
| Country | Ukraine |
Creation
editThe Public Integrity Council was established under Article 87 of the Ukrainian law No 31 of 2016 "on the Judiciary and the Status of Judges".[1]
Aim and rules
editArticle 87 of law No 31 of 2016 on the Judiciary and the Status of Judges defines the role of the Council in 20 paragraphs, with the primary aim being to help the High Qualifications Commission of Judges (HQCJ) of Ukraine in deciding on the ethical eligibility of judges.[1] The HQCJ can override the council's recommendation to reject a judge if at least eleven of the HQCJ's sixteen members agree for the override.[2]
In 2017, Diana Kovacheva, in her role as an international expert of the Council of Europe, found that the Public Integrity Council's procedural rules were generally consistent with European judicial independence standards, while making recommendations for specific changes to further improve compliance with judicial standards.[4]
Membership
editThe council is defined to have twenty members appointed by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) whose aim is "fighting corruption, protecting human rights [or] supporting institutional reforms". The appointments are for a term of two years, with no limit to re-appointment.[1]
Members of the 2018–2020 session were elected by twelve NGOs, including Center for Civil Liberties and Dejure Foundation.[5]
2023 draft law
editOn 21 November 2023, a draft law was passed on its first reading by Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, giving the HQCJ the right to suspend members of the council and forbidding the council from publishing its assessment of judges. Dejure Foundation saw the draft law as giving HQCJ control over the council.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Ukraine law on the judiciary and the status of judges, Venice Commission, 21 October 2021, Wikidata Q123513973, archived from the original on 2 June 2023
- ^ a b Ukraine's Judicial Institutions: A Primer, Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, 2023, Wikidata Q123514157, archived from the original on 21 November 2023
- ^ a b Oleg Sukhov (21 November 2023). "Watchdogs: Parliament moves to destroy key pillar of judicial reform". The Kyiv Independent. Wikidata Q123513862. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023.
- ^ Diana Kovacheva (April 2017), Opinion on the rules of procedure of the Public Council of Integrity of Ukraine, Council of Europe, Wikidata Q123514015, archived from the original on 2 February 2023
- ^ Information report on the results of the work of the Public Integrity Council's second composition 12/17/2018–12/16/2020 (PDF), Public Integrity Council, 21 March 2021, Wikidata Q123514171, archived (PDF) from the original on 29 May 2023