Judicial Council Moves to Protect Judges' Data Following Dnipro Assault

Judge Assaulted in Dnipro

According to Главком: An attack on a judge in the city of Dnipro has led to the opening of two criminal cases. The incident occurred on March 13 at approximately 5:00 PM in the Sobornyi district. The victim, a judge, sustained bodily injuries and a severe head trauma. Three masked men attempted to force the judge into a car, using pepper spray during the assault. They fled the scene in a vehicle without license plates. The judge's husband was also injured during the incident.

Police reported that a pre-trial investigation is ongoing and a special police operation has been launched.

"Law enforcement officers are conducting a complex of operational and investigative measures to detain the persons involved in the crime," the police stated.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated under Part 3 of Article 15, Part 2 of Article 146 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and Part 2 of Article 377 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Response from Ukraine's Council of Judges

In response to this incident, the Council of Judges of Ukraine is initiating measures to protect judges' personal data. Specifically, it plans to:

• restrict access to information about the place of residence of judges and their family members;
• review the scope of open data about judges in state registers;
• introduce additional mechanisms for protecting judges' personal data.

The new head of the Council of Judges of Ukraine is Vitalii Salikhov, a judge of the Kyiv Court of Appeal.

This assault highlights the growing risks faced by judges and their families in Ukraine, stemming from societal tensions and potential threats to the judiciary. Attacks on judicial figures are a serious concern for the rule of law. The Council of Judges' reaction underscores the urgent need to strengthen security measures and data protection for judges, which could be a crucial step in safeguarding their security and independence amidst a challenging criminal environment.