Investigation of Ukrainian judges

Anna Babinets

Slidstvo.Info/OCCRP

Slidstvo.Info is investigative center based in Kyiv, Ukraine�OCCRP is international network based in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

In September we released our investigation about Ukrainian courts on the wall of the Constitutional Court – for taking attention of people and judges who work there

The story is about hidden negotiations and appointments in the Constitutional Court. We obtained records and found that very powerful people linked to Ukrainian president were involved to this secret process

Earlier we published 2 series documentary based on the records from office of one of the most powerful Ukrainian judge. We showed how he and his colleagues use their positions for their private purposes. That judge is under investigation now. But he and his colleagues still very powerful and still work in their position.

What do the judges do after we publish stories about them?

The court from our documentary has bought special anti-surveillance equipment for public money��One of judge illegally requested phone records of our journalist for understanding who is her source

The story about birthday party of the powerful judge. We showed his guests who came to the restaurant. Later the judge requested phone records of our journalist.

The drunk judge

• We published excusive video from police camera. It proves that the judge was drunk when he was driving
• There is not enough proofs that the judge was driving, the court decided
• Even after we published more evidences, it didn’t work

Ukrainian judges think that journalist are their enemies. And it`s not easy to investigate them, but we still think it`s very important to show real life of judges

Thank you!