SBI conducts searches at HQCJ premises, potentially leading to suspension of all judicial selection processes – sources
(Paragraphs 8-11 have been added; the headline adjusted)
Employees of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBIs) are conducting investigative actions in the premises of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine (HQCJ), a law enforcement source told Interfax-Ukraine.
"Investigative actions are being conducted in the HQCJ premises," the agency's interlocutor said, without specifying details.
The Anti-Corruption Action Center says in its Telegram channel that the grounds for the searches in HQCJ could be a statement by MP Maksym Buzhansky. According to the center, the investigative actions are related to the case of Oksana Tsarevych, a judge of Pechersky District Court of Kyiv, who made a decision regarding the Automaidan for participating in the motorcade to Mezhyhirya.
"Maidan judge' Tsarevych complained to the State Bureau of Investigations that HQCJ allegedly interfered in her 'personal life," the Anti-Corruption Action Center said.
The Anti-Corruption Action Center said that HQCJ is currently considering the cases of judges of Pechersky, Shevchenkivsky district courts and the District Administrative Court of Kyiv. "These are precisely those judges who are known for their scandalous decisions and cooperation with the authorities," the center said.
HQCJ is conducting a qualification assessment of judges.
Interfax-Ukraine currently does not have information from official sources regarding investigative actions in HQCJ.
"The State Bureau of Investigations is conducting searches at HQCJ, seeking documents related to the qualification assessment of judges of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv. The investigation is motivated by suspicions that HQCJ may have interfered with the information system. In essence, it is a question of a possible suspension of all judicial selection processes, because SBI should theoretically seize the servers in order to check whether there was interference. How long this will take is unknown," the agency's sources at High Council of Justice (HCJ) and HQCJ said.
According to the agency's interlocutors, on March 17, seven judges of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv are to undergo qualification assessment, including the head of Pechersky District Court of Kyiv.
"They have issued a decision to conduct searches. The evaluation of the judge of Pechersky District Court Oksana Tsarevych is also approaching," the agency's interlocutor said.
In addition, according to the source, the information that these searches are related to Buzhansky's application for the position of deputy head of HQCJ and the "Tandyr case" is not true.