Judges of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv, also known as the DACK, or the OASK, have sent a letter to the PACE Monitoring Committee over a presidential decree on the liquidation of the court and the creation of a new one, the Kyiv City District Administrative Court.
This is stated in a statement by the OASK press service.
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In their letter, the judges refer to the Constitution of Ukraine and the Law on the Judicial System and the Status of Judges.
The OASK insists that the Constitution guarantees judges' immunity and they cannot be held liable for their decisions.
The OASK says that the transfer of judges from the court that is being liquidated to the one that is being created could only take place as per recommendations by the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine.
OASK liquidation
- On April 13, 2021, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tabled a bill in parliament to disband the District Administrative Court of Kyiv.
- The President's Office says there is no longer confidence in the court after "tape" scandals, corrupt officials with safes full of cash money, and numerous controversial decisions. The President's Office also stressed the old, inefficient judicial system was unable to meet Ukrainians' demand for justice, had lost the trust of the citizens of Ukraine and needed to be cleaned up.
- OASK Chair Pavlo Vovk said the president had fallen victim to "manipulation by individual activists" and submitted the court liquidation bill to parliament.