Two Continents, Shared Challenges: African and European Judges Come Together for Judicial Independence and Communication

On May 13, 2026, the CEELI Institute brought together in Prague the two core groups of its regional judicial networks: the Central and Eastern European Judicial Exchange Network (CEE JN) and the African Judicial Exchange Network (AJN) to share experience on judicial communication and independence, and to begin shaping new, practical guidance for judges.

From the Conference to a Shared Agenda

The interregional exchange of ideas began during the Annual CEE Conference, where judges from the African Judicial Exchange Network joined panel sessions with a focus on judicial communications. One of the panels focused on diverging regional perspectives on judges’ freedom of speech, with experiences shared from Africa, Europe, and Latin America. This allowed judges to share know-how and solutions on how a judiciary can protect judges’ right to speak while safeguarding impartiality, independence, and public confidence in the courts.

During that same conference, the Institute organized a session on the Guidelines for Judges on Managing Pressures on Independence, published in 2024. Participating judges reiterated the importance of this succinct and practical document, which provides simple tools for individual judges on how to deal with both internal and external pressures, and discussed several topics that they would like to add to the guidelines. A working group of judges will be formed in the coming months to explore this expansion further.

First Meeting Face to Face

The joint meeting of the core groups of both networks was held on May 13; the first in-person meeting of the core groups since the inception of the AJN nearly 5 years ago. Discussion and cooperation between these two geographically distant networks have been ongoing, and AJN judges are committed to contributing their own experiences for the writing of the new version of the recently released Guidelines on Judicial Communication with the Public and Media, this time focused on case studies and issues of most relevance to African judges.

The session offered an opportunity for both networks to share their priorities and planned activities for the next 12 to 18 months. Core group members explored areas for future collaboration and proposed ideas for joint webinars and courses, reflecting a shared commitment to continued exchange and practical cooperation. The judges were in agreement that though there is a geographical distance, they share similar challenges and they would benefit greatly from joint events.

Moreover, the core group members discussed practical experiences on how to best engage fellow judges and, at a national level, how to engage judicial institutions, with some of the judges relating to how their judiciaries benefited from the judicial networks.

Tangible Impact and Growing Demand

Participants highlighted several examples of CEELI’s positive impact on African judicial institutions. For example, CEELI’s Case Management - Practical Guidelines for Judges are already being used to train new judges and magistrates. The Guidelines for Judges on Managing Pressures on Independence are also being considered for inclusion in the curriculum of a judicial training institute, underscoring their practical value and relevance.

Core group members from both networks agreed that judicial networks can benefit judges at all stages of their careers and emphasized the importance of supporting new judges in particular. Many members have made it standard practice to share newly published guidelines with their peers.

The discussion also underscored the need for more online trainings and webinars, with greater focus on communication with new judges, interagency cooperation, and stronger judicial administration to help build public trust. In 2025, the Institute organized eight online programs, each attracting more than 100 judges, highlighting the clear demand for such initiatives.

New Pressures: Social Media, Security, and AI

The conversation then turned to the pressures judges face internally and how they can be addressed, building on issues raised during the previous two days of the conference.  Several attendees suggested that a wellness policy could help address this issue, and some emphasized the important role of CEELI’s Guidelines on Managing Pressures. In discussing possible updates to the guidelines to reflect new threats to judicial independence and judges’ well-being, participants called for the inclusion of topics such as social media pressure, security issues, life during suspension, and the impact of generative AI, including how to respond to coordinated campaigns created through these tools.

An African Edition of the Communication Guidelines

Later that day, the judges of the African core group took part in a discussion on the Guidelines on Judicial Communication with the Public and Media, focused on reapproaching them to make them even more relevant and useful to African Judges. The discussion was led by speaker Ioanna Lachana, Media Officer and Community Relations Manager at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The chapters of the guidelines were discussed, and individual judges of the AJN were designated to deliver real-life experiences to illustrate the topics from various chapters, mirroring the current version, which presents real-life experiences from the CEE countries. The core group committed to delivering an ‘African’ version of the communication guidelines during the upcoming roundtable meeting of the AJN in September 2026.

Areas of Needed Training

The day ended with the final meeting of the Core Group members of the African Judicial Exchange Network, moderated by Marek Svoboda, Director of Programs at the CEELI Institute; Monique Kamies, Justice Consultant for the CEELI Institute; and John Tunheim, Judge in Minnesota, U.S. Discussion focused on the upcoming roundtable meeting in September 2026 and its topics were drafted, as well as a list of several potential topics for webinars and online trainings that will take place in the next 18 months, including an introductory course for new judges which will include, amongst others, the CEELI guidelines.

Impact That Lasts

Overall, the day featured productive discussions on challenges facing judiciaries around the world and the search for practical solutions. All judges expressed eagerness to continue collaborating, via a dedicated channel, to share their experiences, support each other, and continue to develop ideas for joint events. The event further underscored CEELI’s commitment to providing a platform for judges to exchange experiences, address shared challenges, and strengthen the rule of law.