«Russian legal newspaper “ej-Jurist” reviewed Conference of International Association of Judicial Independence and World Peace»

Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL), Russian Academy of Justice (RAJ), University of Cambridge (UK), Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel) and Russian Law Firm ART DE LEX (Russia) appearedas organizers of the Conference.

This year the Conference, which was held from 30 May to 1 June of 2014, was titled “Judicial Independence as Essential Foundation of Justice and Peace”.

The keynote lecture was made by the Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation, Retired Chairman of the Supreme Arbitrazh Court of the Russian Federation, Professor Veniamin Yakovlev. In his speech, he enlightened the issues regarding the term of office for judges in respect of judicial independence, and also noted the importance of internal ethical principles of each judge to accomplish the goals of sound judicial independence, when implementing the justice.

Within the walls of MSAL, reputed legal scholars and practicing lawyers discussed the matters related to the current state of judicial power, and the ways of their resolution on five field-oriented sessions:

• Judicial Independence as a Central Foundation of Culture and Peace;
• Strengthening Individual Independence of judges and Institutional Independence of the Judiciary;
• The Impact of Transnational Jurisprudence on Judicial Independence;
• Judicial Independence, Rule of Law, Justice and Peace;
• Continuing Discussion of Mount Scopus International Standards of Judicial Independence.

Since the discussion was dedicated to the practical issues respecting the judicial independence and personal independence of the judge, the representatives of judicial branch from Russia and other countries were engaged to the Conference as reporters and speakers.

The honored lawyer of the Russian Federation, merited scientist of the Russian Federation, academic of Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, retired judge, Rector of RAJ, Professor Ershov V.V. made a speech on "Legal Certainty as One of Most Important Guarantees for Judicial Independence", wherein he underlined the problems regarding the sources of law, and also clarified several issues on what may/should the judge follow when rendering decision.

The report of the Chair of the Federal Arbitrazh Court of the Ural District, Professor Reshetnikova I.V. was devoted to the practical aspects of ensuring the judicial independence in Russia.

Dmitry Magonya, Managing Partner of ART DE LEX Law Firm, presented the theme "Access to Justice for socially disadvantaged groups of individuals: Value of Judicial Independence" wherein he gave the special priority to interaction between social status of litigating participants and capability to influence the judicial influence.

Also, the sessions were participated by Professor of Ural State Law Academy Yarkov V.V., Professor Shimon Shetreet (Hebrew University of Jerusalem),Dr. Sophie Turenne (University of Cambridge), Prof. Marcel Storme (University of Ghent), Professor Nikitin S.V. (Vice Rector of RAJ), Professor Maleshin D.Y. (Lomonosov Moscow State University) and other representatives of leading scientific institutions of USA, Europe, UK, Australia and of many other countries.

Within the Conference program, its participants visited the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation (CC RF). During the visit to the CC RF, the Conference participants met the panel of judges of the Court, led by Deputy Chair of CC RF Khokhryakova O.S. The discussion was related to the administration of constitutional justice in Russia and experience of foreign jurisdictions with regard to the supervision over supremacy of law and guaranty of constitutionality.

The result of performed work was the actualization of principles for ensuring judicial independence. Moreover, the Conference allowed the Russian experience to be integrated with the world practice, which is considered, with no doubt, as utmost important achievement of the Conference in this year.

The Conference has not only received prominent coverage in mass media (media sponsors were "Rossiyskaya Gazeta", "The Judge" journal, web-portals Pravo.Ru, "GARANT", zakon.ru, "ezh-JURIST"), but it was also supported by number of leading social and political figures of our country, who addressed to the Conference with welcoming words. In fact, such letters were received from the President of the Association of Lawyers of Russia, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on the Civil, Criminal, Arbitrazh and Procedural Law P.V. Krasheninnikov, First Deputy Chairman of the Council Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation A.P. Torshin, the Judge of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation M.I. Kleandrov, the The Chairman of the Russian Judges Association Y.I. Sidorenko and etc.

Practicing lawyers, young legal scholars and representatives of the business showed much of their attention to the Conference as they will be influenced by dogmatic principles, developed through international scientific-practical events. The Conference was transmitted on-line, which also enable to extend the scope of the general audience at forum.

The International Association of Judicial Independence and World Peace was founded in 1982 and it is one of the most reputed international organizations, which unites practicing lawyers, competent experts in law and effective judges around the world. The work of the Association is focused on drafting international standards of judicial independence, supporting culture of peace in all states, promoting the ideals of peace, democracy, freedom and liberty by strengthening and maintaining of judicial independence.