Venal judges want to Europe

The Republican Judicial Council has released an angry statement.

The judges delivering political sentences to opposition members claim they  are impartial in their decisions.

“The situation, which the judicial community of the Republic of Belarus has faced, is unprecedented for the modern world. Over 70 judges of different courts of the Republic of Belarus are put by the EU Council on the list of persons banned from entering the EU members states,” the statement reads.

The text of the statement stresses all judicial bodies consider all cases impartially basing on facts and in  accordance with the law without any restrictions, unlawful influence, incitement, pressure, threats and interference, direct or indirect, by anyone on any reasons. These are generally accepted principles of judicial bodies: “They were declared the Universal Principles of independence of judicial bodies approved by the UN General Assembly in 1985, adopted by fundamental documents on the status of  judges and the judicial branch, and put in the Universal Charter of the Judge by the Central Council of the International Association of Judges on November 17, 1999.”

“The community of judges of the Republic of Belarus states the international fundamentals of justice are unshakable and are strictly observed in the Republic of Belarus,” the council of judges says. The statement emphasizes the Constitution of Belarus establishes independence of judges in delivery of justice and their subordination to law: “Any interference with the judicial activity is inadmissible and subject to punishment in accordance with the law.”

“Violating these universal principles the Council of the European Union resorts to the practice of imposing visa restrictions towards Belarusian judges. Such movements are an interference with the national jurisdiction and legal proceedings at a time when such actions are inadmissible and considered as a punishable offence in any other country,” the text of the statement reads.