NGOs urge member of High Council of Justice Anna Dolidze to quit ‘if she has political ambitions’
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Seven NGOs, including Transparency International Georgia and the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, have urged non-judge member of Georgia’s High Council of Justice Anna Dolidze to leave her post if she has plans to enter politics.
Dolidze, who earlier chaired the Georgia’s Young Lawyers’ Association and served as deputy Defence Minister under the Georgian Dream leadership, was appointed to the High Council of Justice by ex-President Giorgi Margvelashvili back in 2018.
Since then she has made numerous statements against the judge members of the High Council of Justice, an independent body responsible for the appointment of judges in Georgia, stating that the council is being run by a ‘clan of biased judges.’
At the end of May Dolidze founded a civic movement, For the People.
She said that people in Georgia still live in poverty and seek justice, adding that there are attempts ‘to kill the fighting soul’ in Georgians to ‘easily run’ them.
Founding the civic movement by Dolidze sparked expectations that she may enter politics. Being in politics is incompatible with Dolidze’s current post. If she has plans to enter politics in the near future, we urge her to quit the post,” said the statement.
Dolidze stated in May that she had no plans to create a political party for now.
Members of the High Council of Justice of Georgia (HCOJ), the independent body responsible for the selection and appointment of judges in the country, have requested President Salome Zurabishvili to withdraw non-judge member of the council Anna Dolidze “for making political statements and violating mandatory ethics.”
Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili has used his right to appoint one member to the High Council of Justice (HCOJ), an independent body responsible for unbiased judiciary, and nominated his Parliamentary Secretary Anna Dolidze for the role.
Ten judges who have been nominated by the High Council of Justice for the Supreme Court of Georgia have triggered controversies and criticism in the public and civil sector, as several of the judges “are affiliated with the United National Movement government and biased judiciary”, several members of the HCJ and NGOs say.
Today the President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili named two females as candidates for judge of the Supreme Court of Georgia.
High Council of Justice member Anna Dolidze, opposition leader Aleko Elisashvili and independent MP Levan Koberidze have created a new political platform with plans to transform it into a political party.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili expects non-judge member of Georgia’s High Council of Justice Anna Dolidze will make a ‘respectable decision’ amid controversies about her political intentions. Dolidze was appointed to the High Council of Justice by ex-President Giorgi Margvelashvili back in 2018.
Founder of civic movement For the People Anna Dolidze has resigned as a non-judge member of the High Council of Justice, an independent body which is responsible for various legal issues, including the appointment of judges.
Former official and founder of the civic movement For People Anna Dolidze has stated that the Georgian public defender must get involved in the investigation which is looking into alleged illegal surveillance on her.