Judge Harbuz under investigation by the HCJ: Concealed police officer brother in declarations

Judge Harbuz under investigation by the HCJ: Concealed police officer brother in declarations

The High Council of Justice (HCJ) opened a disciplinary case against Oleksandr Harbuz, a judge of the Holovanivsk District Court of Kirovohrad Region.

The reason was the concealment of information about his brother, who works in the National Police, in his declarations.

According to the revealed data, from 2011 to 2021, Harbuz did not indicate in his declarations that his brother worked in the Ministry of Internal Affairs system. The judge himself admitted that he was aware of his relative’s service. However, according to Article 61 of the Law "On the Judiciary and Status of Judges," the declaration must include all relatives who work or have worked in law enforcement agencies.

Details of the Investigation and the Response of the HQCJ

The High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine (HQCJ), which conducted an interview with Harbuz during his evaluation, was critical of his explanations regarding the omission of his brother. Despite this, the judge scored enough points to continue serving in his position. At the same time, the commission sent materials to the HCJ to open a disciplinary case.

During the inspection, the HCJ inspector established that the judge’s brother has indeed been working in the police since 2011, particularly in the Pervomaisk Police Department of the Mykolaiv Region. The decision to open a disciplinary case was made by the HCJ at a meeting without the possibility of appeal.

This case underscores the importance of transparency in the judicial system and the compliance of judges with the requirements regarding the declaration of assets and family ties.