BackFollowing the appeal of the Public Defender of Georgia, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) published a legal opinion relating to the draft law on the appointment of Supreme Court judges on 17 April 2019. The opinion is available to the public.
has benefited from contributions made by Professor Andras Sajo, Central European University in Budapest and former judge of the European Court of Human Rights; Ms. Michèle Rivet, C.M., Honorary Member and Former Vice-President of the International Commission of Jurists; and Mr. José Igreja Matos, President of the European Association of Judges and First Vice-President of the International Association of Judges.
The document describes in detail the compliance of the draft law with international and regional standards, norms and practices, as well as the obligations undertaken by the country within the OSCE.
The Public Defender expresses her gratitude and respect to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights for their efforts. Their opinion will help the country to properly carry out the most important reform at the given moment - selection of judges of the Supreme Court. The Parliament of Georgia is called not to adopt hastily the draft law that determines the fate of the court of highest instance and generally, the judiciary within the next 20-30 years. It is important that the draft law be thoroughly refined, considering the opinion of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the report of the Venice Commission, in order to bring the draft law in line with international standards.
The full opinion is available here.
Source: Public Defender, Georgia.
