Ukrainian anti-corruption judges-to-be undergo rigorous checks for ties with Russia

Oleh Koliush, a judge of the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine (HACC), has announced that 25 candidates who have applied to be judges of the HACC and its Appeal Chamber are being thoroughly screened for possible connections with Russia. The judges are to be appointed by the end of the year.

Source: Koliush in an interview with Interfax Ukraine

Quote: "The discovery of information regarding ties with the aggressor state clearly constitutes grounds for deeming a judge to be unfit for the position and morally compromised, and the candidate will be denied recommendation for the position of judge. 

We will certainly be assessing possible connections with Russia. The members of Ukraine’s High Qualification Commission of Judges, like every Ukrainian, are categorically opposed to the presence of such information."

Details: Koliush said that 143 candidates have applied, 89 for the HACC as the court of first instance and 54 for the HACC Appeal Chamber. 

"An initial analysis shows that 75 candidates are judges, 44 are lawyers, 13 are academics, and 11 have a mixture of experience. These are approximate figures. Regarding gender distribution, 51 of the candidates are women and 92 are men," clarified Koliush.

He explained that during the selection process, candidates will undergo a qualification assessment and complete a practical task related to the court's specialisation. 

"Next, the candidates who scored enough points undergo a special check. The commission sends documents to several state bodies, which provide us with responses regarding the candidate's life circumstances and compliance with the criteria defined by law," Koliush said.

A further stage of the process is reviewing dossiers and conducting interviews, Koliush added.

He emphasised one particular aspect of the selection process: the participation of a public board of six international experts. According to Koliush, the board is currently being established.

He also stressed that the selection process will be open and transparent. The HACC will keep the public informed about the process to head off any accusations of a lack of transparency in the Commission's work. 

"We plan to complete the selection process by the end of this year. I hope that objective circumstances will not hinder this and we will have new judges for the HACC and the HACC Appeals Chamber," Koliush concluded.

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