The European Court of Human Rights published its decision in Bakradze v. Georgia on November 7. The Court found Georgia guilty of violating Article 14 of Convention, along with Articles 10 & 11, and ordered the state to pay EUR 4,500 as non-pecuniary damages.
The case involves Maia Bakradze. She is a former judge, and the current president of a non-governmental organization called “The Unity of Judges of Georgia.” She appealed to the Strasbourg Court following two unsuccessful attempts to obtain a position at Tbilisi Court of Appeal due to her NGO and her critical statements about Georgia’s judicial system.
Bakradze served as a judge for the Tsalka District Court from 2005 to 2006, and then at the Tbilisi Court of Appeals until her term ended in 2015. In 2015 and 2016 she participated in judicial competitions organized by the High Council of Justice to try and secure a new position at the Tbilisi Court of Appeals. The video footage of her interviews showed that, instead of being asked about her professional experience and ethics, the questions were centered around the activities of her NGO, and her critical remarks.
The state claimed Bakradze failed to secure the position due to “her performance in relevant competitions.” But based on the evidence presented, the ECHR determined that HCoJ had violated Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Prohibition against discrimination), along with Articles 10 and 11 (Freedoms of Expression and Association).
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