Irish judges condemn ‘personalised attacks’ by Polish media

Ms Justice Donnelly recently ruled in the High Court that a case in which a man facing extradition to Poland objected on the basis that Polish judicial reforms had undermined the rule of law should be referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

The decision has not been received well in Poland and some right-wing news websites have published personal attacks on Ms Justice Donnelly.

In a statement, the AJI said: “The Association of Judges of Ireland wishes to deprecate in the strongest terms the personalised attacks and invective directed at our member, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly reportedly emanating from some sections of the Polish media.

“Any interested person or party is entitled to criticise a judgment or ruling of a court, and even to do so in robust terms.

“However, a judge is a public office holder, and if a party wishes to criticise her for the manner in which she has performed her public duty, the criticism should be confined to that and directed at the court’s decision and not at the judge personally.

“The irrelevant references to Ms Justice Donnelly’s personal and private life are utterly unacceptable and we condemn them unreservedly.

“In doing so we are not to be taken as commenting in any way, or as expressing any views whatsoever, concerning the case at issue (which is ongoing) or the ruling in controversy, as it would be wholly inappropriate for us to do so.”