Interference in the administration of justice is criminalized, including by people's deputies. Therefore, judges who are under pressure or who are subject to attempts to interfere in their activities should apply to the High Council of Justice. Recently, the number of such requests, as well as reactions to them, has increased. This was stated in an exclusive comment to UNN by retired judge of the Supreme Administrative Court of Ukraine Alexander Sitnikov.
Earlier, the chairman of the tax committee of the Rada, Daniil Hetmantsev, published several messages in the Telegram channel, in which he called on the public to put pressure on the court and openly criticized the decisions of judges. Judge of the Shevchenko District Court of Kyiv Vitaliy Tsiktich appealed to the High Council of Justice and the Office of the prosecutor general with a statement about pressure from Getmantsev and attempts by the MP to influence the court's decision and interfere in its activities. After that, Hetmantsev published another message in which criticized the decision of the panel of judges of the Dnepropetrovsk District Administrative Court. They admitted that the National Bank made an illegal decision to revoke the license and start liquidating Concord bank. Probably in this way Hetmantsev wanted to influence the judges who will consider the NBU's appeal.
First, interference in the administration of justice is really a responsibility, including criminal responsibility. Secondly, it is also a moral responsibility. You know, there is a complex complex of problems here and it is defined by law. If there is any pressure from a people's Deputy, including in a social network, then the judge should apply to the VSP to exert pressure on him, regardless of whether this is a specific case or just a statement by a people's deputy or another official
He also added that recently there have been more appeals from judges to the High Council of Justice regarding pressure and attempts to interfere in their activities.
And I will say that recently there have been more such appeals, because judges have stopped tolerating all these cases and have begun to protect themselves from such cases so that in the future there will be no questions about an acceptable decision. I think this is the right approach of judges to this problem, and I believe that those judges who use such a mechanism of Appeal, they are absolutely right in their actions
He also advised his colleagues not to engage in debates in social networks with those who try to put pressure on them.
It would be much better to apply to the VSP, justify your position, prove the fact of interference in the VSP, and this is still a constitutional body, which consists, among other things, of representatives of the Verkhovna Rada, representatives of the president of Ukraine, the executive branch and the judiciary. In other words, it is a constitutional body of broad representation that really needs to respond to these issues
At the same time, he noted that recently there has been a reaction of the High Council of justice to cases of pressure and interference in the activities of the court, and therefore an appeal to this body is the only way out for a judge.
The fact that people's deputies interfere in the administration of Justice – of course, there are such facts, including in social networks. I will even tell you that there is such a strategy of protection in certain cases, which provides for appeals to people's deputies... so that they can make some speeches about it
Recall
Earlier, the president of the All-Ukrainian Association of judges, retired Denys Nevyadomsky, noted that Hetmantsev violates the Criminal Code of Ukraine by his appeals . The MP, according to him, in particular calls for interference in the activities of the court, and also violates the presumption of innocence.
Lawyer Dmitry Kasyanenko noted that Getmantsev's message can be regarded as pressure on the judge and influence on his decision. Lawyer Serhiy Lysenko believes that Hetmantsev through social networks tries to influence the court through public opinion and takes on the role of a judge determining which decision of Themis Buda is legal in criminal proceedings on illegal tobacco.