New York, Oct 5 2009 1:10PM
An independent United Nations human rights expert today criticized the recent election of judges to the Supreme Court in Guatemala, saying the process was rushed and lacked transparency and objectivity.
Gabriela Carina Knaul de Albuquerque e Silva, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, issued a statement in Geneva voicing concern at the way the Guatemalan Congress elected the judges on 30 September.
The Congress elected the judges at a plenary session, "without having established a methodology and a timetable for an election to assess and evaluate each candidate in accordance with Guatemalan legislation and international standards" on the issue, according to the statement.
"The recent election… ignored the principles of transparency, objectivity and expertise needed in this type of process," said the Special Rapporteur.
She also expressed regret that Congress had not followed the recommendations of her predecessor, Leandro Despouy, on the election of Supreme Court judges after he visited the Central American country in July.
"The UN Special Rapporteur's recommendations were aimed at overcoming the grave deficiencies in the country's judicial system," said Ms. Knaul de Albuquerque.
She called on the Congress to follow Mr. Despouy's recommendations by guaranteeing civil society's effective participation in elections for the Court of Appeal and ensuring that Guatemala's High Courts consist of independent, honest and competent judges in accordance with international standards.
Oct 5 2009 1:10PM
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