The High Council of Justice of Georgia (HCoJ) has requested President Salome Zurabishvili to recall non-judge member, Anna Dolidze from the Council.
The initiative was submitted by Dimitri Gvritishvili, one of the judge members of the HCoJ, citing Dolidze’s “political activities” as the reason incompatible with the status of the HCoJ member.
The HCoJ told Civil.ge on October 25 that its 11 members supported Gvritishvili’s initiative. Only two members, Nazibrola Janezashvili and Irma Gelashvili, did not sign the initiative on recalling Anna Dolidze.
Anna Dolidze said in response to the Council’s decision that the High Council of Justice pursues Georgian Dream’s interests, adding that it has no right to request the President to recall her.
Responding to Gvritishvili’s allegations, Dolidze said that she is involved in public rather than political activities. “I am quite active in respect of public and civil issues and neither the previous government, nor the present one will stop it,” she told reporters.
Dolidze also noted that the decision of HCoJ is a sign of “political persecution” against her and that the President’s decision will be “a litmus test whether she becomes part of this political persecution, or takes side of critical voices against the government’s misconduct.”
The institution consists of 15 members, with one member appointed by the President. Anna Dolidze was appointed as a non-judge member of the HCoJ by then President Giorgi Margvelashvili on January 8, 2018 for a four-year term. She assumed the office on January 17, 2018.
Anna Dolidze has been frequently criticizing the judiciary for misconduct and clannish rule, making critical statements against the present government as well.
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)