CYIL vol. 13 (2022)

CYIL 13 ȍ2022Ȏ THE IMPARTIALITY OF JUDGE AND THE PRINCIPLE OF PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE … a praxi, které jsou si z historických důvodů značně podobné, ale i pro pravidla trestního procesu v ostatních zemích Rady Evropy a Evropské unie. Současně je díky analyzovanému rozhodnutí třeba poukázat na převažující vzájemný respekt mezi oběma evropskými soudy, pokud jde o závěry jejich rozhodovací činnosti. Key words : ECtHR; CJEU; plea bargain; impartiality of the judge; presumption of innocence About the Author: Associate professor JUDr. Monika Forejtová, Ph.D. Faculty of Law of the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň. Head of Department of Constitutional Law and European Law, lecturer, publishing in EU law issues, private attorney. 1. Right to an independent and impartial tribunal – general principle According to Article 81 of the Constitution of the Czech Republic, judicial power is exercised by independent courts in the name of the Republic, when according to Article 82(1), first sentence, of the Constitution of the Czech Republic, judges are independent in the exercise of their functions. Under Article 36(1) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, everyone may assert, through the prescribed procedure, their rights before an independent and impartial court or, in specified cases, before another body. Under Article 6(1) of the ECHR, everyone has the right to have their case heard fairly, publicly and within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law to determine their civil rights or obligations or the validity of any criminal charge against them. The right to a fair hearing under Article 6 (1) of the ECHR requires that a case be heard by an “ independent and impartial tribunal established by law ”. Under Article 47 of EU Charter of Fundamental Rights “ Everyone whose rights and freedoms guaranteed by the law of the Union are violated has the right to an effective remedy before a tribunal in compliance with the conditions laid down in this Article. Everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal previously established by law. Everyone shall have the possibility of being advised, defended and represented. Legal aid shall be made available to those who lack sufficient resources in so far as such aid is necessary to ensure effective access to justice “. The concepts of “ independence ” and “ impartiality ” are closely 3 linked and, depending on the circumstances, 4 may require joint examination. 5 The questions of “ independence ” and “ impartiality ” are current in the Czech Republic, as the ECtHR in the case of Grosam v. the Czech Republic ruled that the disciplinary senate of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Czech Republic is not impartial and independent as regards the composition of the six member senate. 6 3 See more GARCÍA ROCA, J., VIDAL ZAPATERO, J. M.. The Right to an Independent and Impartial Tribunal (Art. 6.1 ECHR): A Specific Minimum Standards Guarantee Rather than a Rule of Justice. In: GARCÍA ROCA, J., SANTOLAYA, P. (eds.). Europe of Rights: A Compendium on the European Convention of Human Rights . Leiden/Boston: Brill | Nijhoff, 2012, pp. 219–250. 4 REPÍK, B. Evropská úmluva o lidských právech a trestní právo. (European Convention on Human Rights and criminal law). Prague: Orac, 2002, pp. 123–124. 5 See Judgment of the ECtHR in Ramos Nunes de Carvalho e Sá v. Portugal [GC], of 6 November 2018, applications nos. 55391/13 and 2 others; see also Judgment of the ECtHR in Denisov v. Ukraine [GC] of 25 September 2018, application no. 76639/11. 6 See Judgment of the ECtHR in Grosam v. Czech Republic of 23 June 2022, application no. 19750/13.

145