At the request of lawyers from the Free Courts, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has banned the Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs Chamber – a landmark safeguard (interim measure under Rule 39).
What is this case about?
Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro has filed two extraordinary complaints (which the Extraordinary Control Chamber is now reviewing) challenging final, favorable judgments handed down in his cases against Judge Waldemar Zurek. Both complaints concern Judge Zurek’s private life.
What does the issued interim measure mean?
The ECHR found that the Chamber of Extraordinary Control established by the neo-NCJ does not meet the requirements of an independent and impartial court established by law (under Article 6 of the Convention). As a result, the Chamber cannot address any of the complaints filed by Minister Ziobro in Judge Zurek’s case.
Until the case is heard by the Court, no decision on the merits of either case can be made.
The judge’s attorneys are: Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram, Maria Ejchart-Dubois, Katarzyna Wisniewska and Michal Wawrykiewicz. The case is being handled by the KOS Committee for the Defense of Justice.