Vienna, 10 April 2018 - After two days of discussions among more than 350 participants and in the presence of chief and senior justices from around the world, the Global Judicial Integrity Network was formally launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's (UNODC) Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration.
During the conference closing session the Terms of Reference of the Global Judicial Integrity Network were endorsed by acclamation. The Terms outline the Network's mission statement, objectives, participation and organization of work, as well as the role of the Secretariat (carried out by UNODC) and of the Advisory Board.
The Advisory Board of the Network will help identify priority challenges and emerging topics in judicial integrity, and assist judiciaries in addressing those challenges as they arise. The first members of the Board, selected by the Secretariat based on their active engagement in advancing judicial integrity, are:
Adrian Saunders: President-elect of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Chairman of the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers
Duro Sessa: President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia and President of the Consultative Council of European Judges
Masood Bin Muhammad Al-Ameri: Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Council, Qatar
Maria Theresa Moura: Minister of the Superior Court of Justice in Brazil and Director-General of the Brazilian National Magistrates School
Zainun Ali: Judge of the Federal Court, Malaysia
Kashim Zannah: Chief Judge, High Court of Borno State, Nigeria
Nihal Jayawickrama: Coordinator of the Judicial Integrity Group
Jose Igreja Matos: Judge, Court of Appeal, Porto, Portugal, President of the European Association of Judges, and Vice President of the International Association of Judges.
Lynne Leitch: Justice, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Representative of the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association, Chair of the Association's Gender Section
Diego Garcia-Sayan: UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers
The conference concluded with the adoption, by acclamation, of the Declaration on Judicial Integrity and the invitation by Masoud Mohamed Alameri, Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Council of Qatar, to hold the next conference of the Global Judicial Integrity Network in Qatar. Addressing the participants, Chief Justice Alameri stressed: "As we proceed with the Global Judicial Integrity Network, we should remember that our efforts are of historic value to us, as it will be the first purely judicial project connecting and bringing together the world's judicial authorities under the auspices of the United Nations."
Dimitri Vlassis, Chief of the UNODC Crime and Corruption Branch, said at the closing of the meeting: "The Global Judicial Integrity Network is an initiative of paramount importance in strengthening judicial integrity and preventing corruption in the justice system. It will be an honour to work with you all as we continue to encourage other judiciaries and stakeholders to join us on this important journey."
To know more about the Global Judicial Integrity Network, please visit: www.unodc.org/ji.
For further media enquiries, please contact:
Kevin Town
UNODC Public Information Officer
Telephone: +43 699 1459 5575
Email: kevin.town [a] un.org