[…]
With reference to your letter of 5 February 2014 concerning the election of a Judge of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the Republic of Latvia, I have the honour to submit the list of three candidates (in alphabetical order) for election to the post of a Judge at the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Latvia, together with their curricula vitae in English and Explanatory Memorandum.
[…]
By a letter of 5 February 2014 the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe requested the Permanent Representative of Latvia to the Council of Europe to submit a list of three candidates for the position of a judge of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Latvia. The Latvian authorities were requested to send the list of candidates and their detailed curricula vitae, as well as a description of the procedure by which the candidates were selected by 15 March 2015.
By a letter of 17 February 2014 the Chair of the Advisory Panel of Experts on Candidates for election as Judge to the European Court of Human Rights requested the Permanent Representative of Latvia to the Council of Europe to forward the names and curricula vitae to the Panel in order to obtain its view. The Latvian authorities were requested to provide the information to the Panel by 15 December 2014.
On 29 July 2014 the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia issued a decree No.394 On public and open call for candidatures applying for a post of a Judge of the European Court of Human Rights and establishment of a Selection Committee. The composition of the Selection Committee was suggested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. The suggestion by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was based on the nominations from the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Parliament, the Prosecutor General Office, the Ministry of Justice, as well as from academia and from legal practitioners.
The Selection Committee, as approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, was the following:
As decided by the Cabinet of Ministers, a public and open call for a post of a Judge of the European Court of Human Rights was published in the official edition Latvijas Vēstnesis (“Latvian Herald”) and widely disseminated among the official websites of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the domestic courts, enclosing model curriculum vitae according to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Resolution 1646 (2009) in Latvian, English and French.
The announcement included information on the requirements for qualification as Judge at the European Court of Human Rights, including linguistic competences, as well as relevant information about the application process. The announcement invited the prospective applicants to submit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs their applications no later than 8 September 2014. Applicants were invited to send their applications either by post or electronically.
In total, ten applications were received within the deadline. On 19 September 2014 the Selection Committee assessed whether all ten applicants met the eligibility requirements for the position as Judge at the European Court of Human Rights in accordance with Article 21 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Selection Committee decided that three out of ten candidates did not meet the eligibility requirements, and thus rejected their applications.
The Selection Committee then invited the remaining seven applicants to interviews on 10 and 17 October 2014. The duration of an interview with each applicant was approximately one hour; the applicants were questioned in Latvian and English.
On 22 October 2014, after having discussed the applicants’ qualifications and replies given during the interviews, the Selection Committee through secret ballot chose three candidates for inclusion on the list of candidates for the post of a Judge of the European Court of Human Rights.
On 9 November 2014 the list of three candidates and the English versions of the curriculum vitae was transmitted to the Advisory Panel of Experts on Candidates for election as Judge to the European Court of Human Rights in order to obtain its view.
On 22 December 2014 the Advisory Panel requested the Government to submit additional information on the suitability of the nominated candidates until 19 January 2015. On 15 January 2015 the Government submitted the requested additional information with the Advisory Panel, enclosing candidates’ letters of motivation as submitted to the Selection Committee.
Finally, on 16 February 2015 the Advisory Panel informed the Government about its opinion on the suitability of the nominated candidates for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights. The opinion of the Advisory Panel was discussed in the meeting of the Selection Committee of 25 February 2015, which unanimously decided to submit the list of three candidates for the approval by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Following the prior inter-ministerial co-ordination process, the Cabinet of Ministers on 24 March 2015 decided to approve the list of candidates as proposed by the Selection Committee, and to submit the approved list to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Name, surname: Artūrs Kučs
Sex: Male
Date and place of birth: 9 December 1975, Riga, Latvia
Nationality: Latvian
None
Three years
Examination of complaints and drafting of decisions on violations of the Code of Ethics of the Latvian Association of Journalists
In total: author and co-author of ten books and author of more than twenty publications
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a. First language: |
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– English |
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– French |
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– Russian |
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– German |
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I confirm.
I confirm that I will take up permanent residence in Strasbourg if I am elected as a judge on the Court.
Name, forename: Mits, Mārtiņš
Sex: Male
Date and place of birth: 25 Ma rch1972, Riga
Nationality: Republic of Latvia
There have not been judicial posts held, however, a considerable part of the professional activities are directly linked to judiciary:
Professional activities are predominantly in the field of academia covering both academic and administrative functions. Academic work is related to international human rights law with primary focus on the European Convention on Human Rights and to constitutional law with a particular interest in relationship between domestic and international law.
Senior Adviser in the Department of Case-law Analysis, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Latvia (1993-1995)
None
None
All professional activities and experience are related to human rights. In addition to the above mentioned:
1. Teaching in universities:
Duration of the above courses varies, the courses currently taught in the Riga Graduate School of Law last for 6 weeks (30 hours) and in Deusto University – one week (15 hours).
Current functions involve teaching and administration of three courses at the Riga Graduate School of Law: International Human Rights Law (co-taught), Changing European Human Rights Law, Business and Human Rights, and at the Deusto University - Changing European Human Rights Law.
Professors’ duties include other regular academic activities such as supervising papers and master theses, organising events and giving presentations, etc.
2. Teaching in international training programmes:
The above international training programmes are of different duration and teaching involvement varies from on lecture to three days of full work.
Currently a three days teaching is planned on the fundamental rights in the EU and under the European Convention for Human Rights in the Advanced Programme on European Law and Economics for Eastern Partnership Region and Central Asia at the Riga Graduate School of Law, September to December 2014.
3. Relevant research
The duration of the research projects in terms of years has been indicated above.
Current involvement is limited to the research project on the Constitutional Conditions for the future Evolution of European Integration. Activites in the project include annual workshops and writing an article in a book that is set for publication in 2016.
4. Relevant latest presentations
Regular presentations in international and national conference is a part of ongoing academic activities.
As seen from above, participation in various conferences is not limited only to making presentations, but it also includes convening the events and broader research activities.
There are more than 40 publications, including scholarly writings, public policy articles and interviews. The most relevant in the present context are:
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c. Other languages: |
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Russian |
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The level of the French language indicated above is expected as an absolute minimum by the time of the possible appointment. I have started French classes and confirm my intention to follow the classes to achieve the same level as of the English language.
Member of the European Society of International Law (since 2014)
I confirm that I will take up permanent residence in Strasbourg in the case of election as a judge in the Court.
Name, forename: Rezevska (formerly Iļjanova), Daiga
Sex: Female
Date and place of birth: 18 February1974, Bauska, Latvia
Nationality: Latvian
Academic titles and scientific degrees
Iļjanova D. Vispārējo tiesību principu nozīme un piemērošana (The meaning and application of the general principles of law). Rīga: Ratio iuris, 2005, 140 pages
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– Russian |
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By this I confirm that I am still continuing to study French and will follow intensive language classes of French prior to, and if need be also at the beginning of, my term of duty if elected a judge on the Court.
Introducing of the general principles of law in the courts’ and administrative practice; the meaning of legal norm in the contemporary legal theory
Doctoral Thesis: “Axiological and Functional Aspects of the General Principles of Law in the Transformation of the legal Arrangement of Latvia”
Master Thesis: „General Principles of Law as a Source of Law in Romano-Germanic legal system”
Bachelor Thesis: „Natural Law in Contemporary View”
By this I confirm that I will take up permanent residence in Strasbourg if elected a judge on the Court.