Hungarian courts and judges are again facing an existential crisis, say rights defenders — one year after the European Commission unfroze billions of euros. New obstacles introduced by the Hungarian government put severe financial and politicalconstraints on judges. euobserver.com/Rule%20of%20... - ThreadSky

hungarianhelsinki.bsky.social • 99 days ago

Hungarian courts and judges are again facing an existential crisis, say rights defenders — one year after the European Commission unfroze billions of euros. New obstacles introduced by the Hungarian government put severe financial and politicalconstraints on judges. https://euobserver.com/Rule%20of%20Law/ar7c35b25d

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hungarianhelsinki.bsky.social•92 days ago

Judges in Hungary are pressured against speaking out in defence of judicial independence. Two cases at the Kúria (apex court), of Judge András Kovács and a senior scientific researcher, show that attempts at silencing judicial dissent happen through administrative means. https://helsinki.hu/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Attempts-at-the-Kuria-to-silence-judicial-dissent.pdf

hungarianhelsinki.bsky.social•92 days ago

Judge Kovács has a track record of authoring critical articles about steps undermining judicial independence. In 2019, he wrote about hindrances to the proper application of EU law. In @verfassungsblog.de in 2020, he criticised the Kúria’s case allocation system https://verfassungsblog.de/a-game-hacked-by-the-dealer/

hungarianhelsinki.bsky.social•92 days ago

Now Judge András Kovács is targeted by a concentrated series of attacks after he raised questions about the independence of Kúria judges in a study. He has been suspended from his judicial position for 2 years, without a finding of incompetence, and faces integrity and disciplinary proceedings.

hungarianhelsinki.bsky.social•92 days ago

The freedom of expression of judges is in at the centre of the lawsuit that Judge Kovács has launched against his employer, the Kúria, challenging the suspension from his judicial post. Judge Kovács is represented by an attorney of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee. https://hvg.hu/360/20241218_kritika-velemenynyilvanitas-Kuria-eljaras-Kovacs-Andras-tanacselnok-Varga-Zs-Andras

profpech.bsky.social•92 days ago

As reported, this also amounts to a breach of Art 19(1) TEU in addition to the right to freedom of expression. For more details https://ceeliinstitute.org/resource/navigating-the-jurisdiction-and-landmark-rulings-of-the-european-court-of-human-rights-and-the-court-of-justice-of-the-eu-a-guide-to-protecting-the-rule-of-law-in-the-european-courts-amid-backsliding

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