BasicPrinciplesontheIndependenceoftheJudiciary

AdoptedbytheSeventhUnitedNationsCongressonthePreventionofCrimeandtheTreatmentofOffendersheldatMilanfrom26Augustto

6September1985andendorsedbyGeneralAssemblyresolutions40/32of29November1985and40/146of13December1985

WhereasintheCharteroftheUnitedNationsthepeoplesoftheworldaffirm,interalia,theirdeterminationtoestablishconditionsunderwhichjusticecanbemaintainedtoachieveinternationalcooperationinpromotingandencouragingrespectforhumanrightsandfundamentalfreedomswithoutanydiscrimination,

WhereastheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRightsenshrinesinparticulartheprinciplesofequalitybeforethelaw,ofthepresumptionofinnocenceandoftherighttoafairandpublichearingbyacompetent,independentandimpartialtribunalestablishedbylaw,

WhereastheInternationalCovenantsonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRightsandonCivilandPoliticalRightsbothguaranteetheexerciseofthoserights,andinaddition,theCovenantonCivilandPoliticalRightsfurtherguaranteestherighttobetriedwithoutunduedelay,

Whereasfrequentlytherestillexistsagapbetweenthevisionunderlyingthoseprinciplesandtheactualsituation,

Whereastheorganizationandadministrationofjusticeineverycountryshouldbeinspiredbythoseprinciples,andeffortsshouldbeundertakentotranslatethemfullyintoreality,

Whereasrulesconcerningtheexerciseofjudicialofficeshouldaimatenablingjudgestoactinaccordancewiththoseprinciples,

Whereasjudgesarechargedwiththeultimatedecisionoverlife,freedoms,rights,dutiesandpropertyofcitizens,

WhereastheSixthUnitedNationsCongressonthePreventionofCrimeandtheTreatmentofOffenders,byitsresolution16,calledupontheCommitteeonCrimePreventionandControltoincludeamongitsprioritiestheelaborationofguidelinesrelatingtotheindependenceofjudgesandtheselection,professionaltrainingandstatusofjudgesandprosecutors,

Whereasitis,therefore,appropriatethatconsiderationbefirstgiventotheroleofjudgesinrelationtothesystemofjusticeandtotheimportanceoftheirselection,trainingandconduct,

Thefollowingbasicprinciples,formulatedtoassistMemberStatesintheirtaskofsecuringandpromotingtheindependenceofthejudiciaryshouldbetakenintoaccountandrespectedbyGovernmentswithintheframeworkoftheirnationallegislationandpracticeandbebroughttotheattentionofjudges,lawyers,membersoftheexecutiveandthelegislatureandthepublicingeneral.Theprincipleshavebeenformulatedprincipallywithprofessionaljudgesinmind,buttheyapplyequally,asappropriate,tolayjudges,wheretheyexist.

Independenceofthejudiciary

1.TheindependenceofthejudiciaryshallbeguaranteedbytheStateandenshrinedintheConstitutionorthelawofthecountry.Itisthedutyofallgovernmentalandotherinstitutionstorespectandobservetheindependenceofthejudiciary.

2.Thejudiciaryshalldecidemattersbeforethemimpartially,onthebasisoffactsandinaccordancewiththelaw,withoutanyrestrictions,improperinfluences,inducements,pressures,threatsorinterferences,directorindirect,fromanyquarterorforanyreason.

3.Thejudiciaryshallhavejurisdictionoverallissuesofajudicialnatureandshallhaveexclusiveauthoritytodecidewhetheranissuesubmittedforitsdecisioniswithinitscompetenceasdefinedbylaw.

4.Thereshallnotbeanyinappropriateorunwarrantedinterferencewiththejudicialprocess,norshalljudicialdecisionsbythecourtsbesubjecttorevision.Thisprincipleiswithoutprejudicetojudicialreviewortomitigationorcommutationbycompetentauthoritiesofsentencesimposedbythejudiciary,inaccordancewiththelaw.

5.Everyoneshallhavetherighttobetriedbyordinarycourtsortribunalsusingestablishedlegalprocedures.Tribunalsthatdonotusethedulyestablishedproceduresofthelegalprocessshallnotbecreatedtodisplacethejurisdictionbelongingtotheordinarycourtsorjudicialtribunals.

6.Theprincipleoftheindependenceofthejudiciaryentitlesandrequiresthejudiciarytoensurethatjudicialproceedingsareconductedfairlyandthattherightsofthepartiesarerespected.

7.ItisthedutyofeachMemberStatetoprovideadequateresourcestoenablethejudiciarytoproperlyperformitsfunctions.

Freedomofexpressionandassociation

8.InaccordancewiththeUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights,membersofthejudiciaryarelikeothercitizensentitledtofreedomofexpression,belief,associationandassemblyprovided,however,thatinexercisingsuchrights,judgesshallalwaysconductthemselvesinsuchamannerastopreservethedignityoftheirofficeandtheimpartialityandindependenceofthejudiciary.

9.Judgesshallbefreetoformandjoinassociationsofjudgesorotherorganizationstorepresenttheirinterests,topromotetheirprofessionaltrainingandtoprotecttheirjudicialindependence.

Qualifications,selectionandtraining

10.Personsselectedforjudicialofficeshallbeindividualsofintegrityandabilitywithappropriatetrainingorqualificationsinlaw.Anymethodofjudicialselectionshallsafeguardagainstjudicialappointmentsforimpropermotives.Intheselectionofjudges,thereshallbenodiscriminationagainstapersononthegroundsofrace,colour,sex,religion,politicalorotheropinion,nationalorsocialorigin,property,birthorstatus,exceptthatarequirement,thatacandidateforjudicialofficemustbeanationalofthecountryconcerned,shallnotbeconsidereddiscriminatory.

Conditionsofserviceandtenure

11.Thetermofofficeofjudges,theirindependence,security,adequateremuneration,conditionsofservice,pensionsandtheageofretirementshallbeadequatelysecuredbylaw.

12.Judges,whetherappointedorelected,shallhaveguaranteedtenureuntilamandatoryretirementageortheexpiryoftheirtermofoffice,wheresuchexists.

13.Promotionofjudges,whereversuchasystemexists,shouldbebasedonobjectivefactors,inparticularability,integrityandexperience.

14.Theassignmentofcasestojudgeswithinthecourttowhichtheybelongisaninternalmatterofjudicialadministration.

Professionalsecrecyandimmunity

15.Thejudiciaryshallbeboundbyprofessionalsecrecywithregardtotheirdeliberationsandtoconfidentialinformationacquiredinthecourseoftheirdutiesotherthaninpublicproceedings,andshallnotbecompelledtotestifyonsuchmatters.

16.WithoutprejudicetoanydisciplinaryprocedureortoanyrightofappealortocompensationfromtheState,inaccordancewithnationallaw,judgesshouldenjoypersonalimmunityfromcivilsuitsformonetarydamagesforimproperactsoromissionsintheexerciseoftheirjudicialfunctions.

Discipline,suspensionandremoval

17.Achargeorcomplaintmadeagainstajudgeinhis/herjudicialandprofessionalcapacityshallbeprocessedexpeditiouslyandfairlyunderanappropriateprocedure.Thejudgeshallhavetherighttoafairhearing.Theexaminationofthematteratitsinitialstageshallbekeptconfidential,unlessotherwiserequestedbythejudge.

18.Judgesshallbesubjecttosuspensionorremovalonlyforreasonsofincapacityorbehaviourthatrendersthemunfittodischargetheirduties.

19.Alldisciplinary,suspensionorremovalproceedingsshallbedeterminedinaccordancewithestablishedstandardsofjudicialconduct.

20.Decisionsindisciplinary,suspensionorremovalproceedingsshouldbesubjecttoanindependentreview.Thisprinciplemaynotapplytothedecisionsofthehighestcourtandthoseofthelegislatureinimpeachmentorsimilarproceedings.