NGO claims “judiciary clan” suspends “non-affiliated” judge after 3-year probationary period

The Georgian Court Watch NGO on Thursday claimed the High Council of Justice, an independent body authorized to select and appoint judges across the country, had suspended Nino Giorgadze, a judge in Bolnisi District Court who had been on a three-year probationary period, as she was not affiliated with a “clan of judges” in the system. 

 

The NGO said the Council’s Wednesday session discussed the activities of Giorgadze and refused to appointed her as a lifetime judge, claiming it was an “unprecedented case”, since the body had appointed all those judges who were on a three-year probationary period and did not have the experience of working as a lifetime judge. 

 

It further noted Giorgadze had about 2,100 cases pending for three years, which was a “big challenge for any judge”, especially for those on a probationary period. 

 

“The decision by the Council over Giorgadze may represent a kind of warning and hint towards independent judges,” the Georgian Court Watch said. 

 

The United States Department of State in April imposed visa restrictions on three senior, acting Georgian judges Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze and Irakli Shengelia and a former judge Valerian Tsertsvadze for their alleged “involvement in significant corruption”.

 

The Georgian Dream authorities have labeled the move as “unfair” and claimed the sanction came “without any evidence”, while the members of the domestic opposition and the civil sector had been naming the individuals as “key figures” in the alleged judiciary clan affiliated with the current Government.