Judiciary and law enforcement

An independent judiciary and clean law enforcement are central to democracy and rule of law.

Strengthening independent judiciaries through higher salaries and better legal protections is an effective way to tackle corruption, holding the corrupt accountable and giving their victims justice. People’s experiences with the judiciary and law enforcement are often very different from this: many face demands for bribes to dismiss a charge, fast-track a case or slow down a trial. Judges can also be bribed, or subject to political pressure and interference from above.

Corruption in the judicial system breaks the basic principle of equality before the law and deprives people of their right to a fair trial. In a corrupt judicial system, money and influence may decide which cases are prioritised or dismissed. Perpetrators may get away unpunished while victims are left with no answer and no justice.

Simple reforms can prevent this. An independent body and public oversight can guarantee that appointments in the judiciary are based on merit rather than favouritism. Judicial personnel should be adequately trained and receive fair salaries and pensions, to make them less vulnerable to bribery. Judges’ personal liability for decisions should be limited and, to protect them from pressure by powerful interests, only credible and transparent investigations should be conducted against them.

Civil society, the private sector, and the media – we all have a vital role to play.