Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Scales of justice and gavel on law book
Scales of justice and gavel on law book - Credit: Photo: tomloel/DepositPhotos
Crime
Politics
Council for the Judiciary
Henk Naves
high security court
Friday, 10 January 2020 - 09:17
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Judiciary Council calls politicians to stop blaming judges for unpleasant rulings

Henk Naves, the chairman of the Council of Judiciary, called on politicians to stop immediately blame the judge if they find a verdict unpleasant. That is bad for the rule of law, he said in his New Year's speech, NOS reports.

He referred to the Urgenda case, which resulted in the court ordering the government to take more measures against climate change. After the ruling, the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, established a working group to investigate the increasing influence of judges on politics.

That attitude is bad for the rule of law, Naves said. "Then we come to the point where the equilibrium within the trias is shaky, he said, referring to the separation of powers, the trias politica. Judges are determined to keep a cool head, despite social and political pressure, Naves said. "That should earn respect, not suspicion."

He called on politicians to look in the mirror after an unpleasant verdict. "Stop hiding behind your gowns and take responsibility for legislation and decision making that turn out to fall short."

Naves also called for more capacity at the Netherlands' high-security courts. The Bunker in Amsterdam Osdorp and the Judicial Complex at Schiphol are already overcrowded with cases, and this year will only make matters worse, he said, calling 2020 a year with "unique challenges".

There are multiple complex assassination- and undermining crime cases that require serious security measures, especially after the extra measures taken to protect lawyers, judges and prosecutors after defense attorney Derk Wiersum's murder. The trial against the first suspects in the MH17 disaster is also happening this year, a case of unprecedented proportions, Naves said.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Life sentenced prisoners will get additional year for reintegration
  • GroenLinks members trim list for Senate election after congress
  • Possible passenger ceiling at Schiphol again due to staff shortage, travel agency angry
  • PvdA and GroenLinks in Brabant: only together in provincial government
  • Human trafficking near asylum seekers’ center in Gilze systematically not picked up
  • 20-year-old driver from Utrecht dies in car accident on A6

Top stories

  • Possible passenger ceiling at Schiphol again due to staff shortage, travel agency angry
  • Hoekstra wants to reintroduce conscription
  • EU countries agree on new price cap for Russian oil
  • Hermitage shows Rembrandt and contemporaries from The Leiden Collection
  • Dutch police take down Exclu encrypted chat service with 42 arrests, €4 million seized
  • Signal failure briefly halts train traffic around A'dam; NS warns of significant delays

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content