Eradicating corruption among judges

Chairman of Russia's Supreme Court Vyacheslav Lebedev has stressed the importance of combating corruption among the judges.

"We must create a situation of intolerance to persons committing acts detracting from the honour and dignity of judges," he said speaking at a meeting of chairmen of councils of judges in the regions of the Russian Federation.

In 2002, he said, 60 judges were stripped of their powers for actions disgracing honour and dignity.

"It is necessary to study more thoroughly candidacies for the posts of both federal judges and magistrates," the Supreme Court chairman said. "We want society never call the judges' opinions in question but trust the courts and judicial authorities," he said further.

In his view, to prevent violation of laws and ethical norms by judges the press should be invited on a broader scale for covering the work done by the courts. "We should not have trials closed to the press, except for cases when closed proceedings are required by law," Lebedev said.