Congratulations to Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram, Maria Ejchard-Dubois, Paulina Kieszkowska-Knapik and Michał Wawrykiewicz on receiving the UIA Rule of Law Award 2022 for the #FreeCourts initiative, which they launched in July 2017 on the wave of civil protests in defence of the independence of the judiciary in Poland.
The Rule of Law Award was established by the UIA in cooperation with LexisNexis in 2016, to recognize individuals and organisations that contribute actively to the development and promotion of the Rule of Law at the national, regional, or international level, particularly within the legal community.
Since its creation, it has been successively awarded i.ae. to the Honourable Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, to French lawyer, Bertrand Favreau, President of the IDHAE, to European Lawyers in Lesvos, to Afghan lawyer Latifa Sharifi.
It is a great achievement that the UIA has recognised the tireless work of the #FreeCourts to promote civil society, advocate for judicial independence before regional and international organisations as well as outstanding efforts to raise public awareness about the importance and relevance of independence and impartiality of judges in the promotion and defense of the Rule of Law and democracy.
It is also a great inspiration for other members of the legal community to engage in the fight for the Rule of Law.