Judicial independence highlighted at International Association of Judges meeting

During the opening of the 68th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Judges in Lisbon, João Cura Mariano, President of the Supreme Court of Justice and the High Council of the Magistracy, emphasized judicial independence as a fundamental pillar of constitutional democracy.

The meeting, organized by the Portuguese Association of Judges, brings together approximately 400 judges from 80 countries. Discussions focus on current challenges to the rule of law and judicial autonomy. Mariano noted that in an era of institutional distrust and social inequality, judges must remain free from political pressure, public opinion, and circumstantial interests to ensure the protection of fundamental rights and the separation of powers.