European Court of Human Rights wins award for protecting judicial independence
19/10/26
On 18 October 2026 the European Court of Human Rights was awarded the Judicial Independence Award 2026 by the International Association of Judges (IAJ). Ana Maria Guerra Martins, judge elected in respect of Portugal, attended the award ceremony in Lisbon to receive the award on the Court’s behalf.
Commenting via video message yesterday, Mattias Guyomar, the Court’s President, said that the Court has for more than seven decades been a beacon to protect the rule of law and judicial independence. He emphasised that it is currently all the more important to stand with judges, given the attacks and pressures they are facing, and thanked the IAJ for recognising the Court’s work in defending peace and the European legal order.