Submission + - Russian Judges Resign After Condemning the Kremlin (wsj.com) 1
reporter writes: According to a report just published by the "Wall Street Journal" (WSJ), two senior judges on the Constitutional Court of Russia have harshly condemned the Kremlin for its "undermining the democratic institutions and judicial independence".
"The tensions appear to have started with an interview published in August in Spain's El País newspaper with Vladimir Yaroslavtsev, a 15-year veteran of the court appointed by then-President Boris Yeltsin. In it, Mr. Yaroslavtsev is quoted as saying 'the strengthening of authoritarianism is leading to greater judicial dependence,' referring to the presidencies of Vladimir Putin and his handpicked successor, Mr. Medvedev.
'The security services can do what they want and all judges can do is ratify their decisions,' he was quoted as saying.
In late October, Anatoly Kononov, who has been a justice since the court was formed in 1991 and was also appointed by Mr. Yeltsin, said in an interview with a Russian weekly Sobesednik that he supported 'the greater part' of what Mr. Yaroslavtsev had said to El País."
Under pressure from the Kremlin, "Mr. Kononov, 62 years old, had resigned from his seat on the court effective Jan. 1 'for health reasons.' Mr. Yaroslavtsev, 57, gave up his post as the court's representative at Russia's Council of Judges, an organization with wide powers in judiciary appointments, but will remain a justice ..."
"The tensions appear to have started with an interview published in August in Spain's El País newspaper with Vladimir Yaroslavtsev, a 15-year veteran of the court appointed by then-President Boris Yeltsin. In it, Mr. Yaroslavtsev is quoted as saying 'the strengthening of authoritarianism is leading to greater judicial dependence,' referring to the presidencies of Vladimir Putin and his handpicked successor, Mr. Medvedev.
'The security services can do what they want and all judges can do is ratify their decisions,' he was quoted as saying.
In late October, Anatoly Kononov, who has been a justice since the court was formed in 1991 and was also appointed by Mr. Yeltsin, said in an interview with a Russian weekly Sobesednik that he supported 'the greater part' of what Mr. Yaroslavtsev had said to El País."
Under pressure from the Kremlin, "Mr. Kononov, 62 years old, had resigned from his seat on the court effective Jan. 1 'for health reasons.' Mr. Yaroslavtsev, 57, gave up his post as the court's representative at Russia's Council of Judges, an organization with wide powers in judiciary appointments, but will remain a justice