Corruption Risks in the Judiciary

This document highlights the key corruption risks affecting the effectiveness of the judicial system in Ukraine, and provides recommendations to ensure that international standards of fair justice and the rule of law are met. The corruption risks identified are particularly related to the procedures for selecting, assessing the qualifications of, and ensuring the disciplinary liability of judges; their duty trips and election to administrative positions; and resolving issues related to conflicts of interest and judges' recusals.

This study can serve as a reference for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the High Council of Justice, the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine, the Council of Judges of Ukraine and the courts themselves when developing and implementing measures to minimize corruption risks within the judicial system. It will also inform the risk-oriented work of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, the Prosecutor General's Office and other law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, it will raise awareness of the selected issues and proposed solutions among civil society and the media, providing a basis for public monitoring of indicators and assessment of the effectiveness of implemented changes.

The study of corruption risks in the judiciary was conducted by experts from the OSCE project 'Supporting the development of effective tools for the prevention of corruption and enhancing anti-corruption compliance in Ukraine', in cooperation with specialists from the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NACP). Available in Ukrainian.