During the plenary session of the Supreme Court, a vote of no confidence was initiated against the head of the Supreme Court, Vsevolod Knyazev, who was detained by NABU and SAP employees.
Plenum of the Supreme Court early stopped powers of the Chairman of the Supreme Court Vsevolod Knyazev as a result of expressing no confidence in him.
The judges emphasized that Knyazev’s detention became “a black day in the history of the Supreme Court.”
The question of the declaration of no confidence was initiated by Dmytro Luspenyk, secretary of the plenary session of the Supreme Court.
“In connection with the publication by the NABU and SAP in the mass media of the information about the alleged participation of the head of the Supreme Court in corrupt practices, which harms the authority of the Supreme Court and threatens to reduce trust in the court, we, the initiative group of judges of the Supreme Court, on the basis of Article 41 of the Law “On the Judiciary and the status of judges” we present a motion of no confidence in the head of the Supreme Court,” he said in the motion he read.
According to the results of a secret vote by a majority of votes, the Plenum of the Supreme Court prematurely terminated the powers of the Chairman of the Supreme Court Vsevoloda Knyazeva from May 16, 2023. This decision was supported by 140 judges of the Supreme Court.
During the plenary session of the Supreme Court, judges voted on a statement regarding Knyazev’s detention.
“Aware of its role in the justice system, the Supreme Court takes responsibility for the events that occur in connection with the alleged corrupt actions of individual representatives of the Court. Supreme Court judges are shocked by these events. The Supreme Court emphasizes that a full, objective investigation of all circumstances will contribute to establishing the truth as soon as possible and restoring justice. There must be a fair punishment for any corruption crime,” the statement of the plenum emphasizes.
In accordance with Part 5 of Art. 39 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges”, until the election of the new Chairman of the Supreme Court, his administrative powers are exercised by a judge who has more experience as a judge of the Supreme Court. Such the judge is the secretary of the Plenum of the Supreme Court, the secretary of the First Judicial Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice Dmytro Luspenyk.
