Justice Minister nominee elected first Georgian judge to Hague International Criminal Court
On December 18, 2020 Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia nominated former deputy justice minister Lortkipanidze on the minister's post. Photo: Justice Ministry press office
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Justice Minister nominee Gocha Lortkipanidze has made history by becoming the first Georgian judge at the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) for nine-year tenure.
ICC judge O-Gon Kwon announced Lortkipanidze’s election on Twitter today:
Today, the Assembly elected Joanna Korner (United Kingdom) and Gocha Lordkipanidze (Georgia) as ICC judges. We will continue elections next Monday. pic.twitter.com/k9ccTEE2Lb
— O-Gon Kwon (@ICC_PASP) December 19, 2020
In 2018 Lortkipanidze became the first Georgian who was unanimously elected to represent Eastern Europe in the Trust Fund for Victims of the ICC.
Georgian officials have congratulate Lortkipanidze on becoming ICC judge.
President Salome Zurabishvili wrote on Twitter that 'Georgia is proud'.
#Georgia ????????proud to have its candidate elected as a judge @ICC #TheHague https://t.co/sG7mVv0VKu
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) December 18, 2020
Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia also feels 'proud of this great achievement'.
Congratulations to @GochaLord who has been elected as the 1st ???????? judge in the Hague Tribunal. Proud of this great achievement & confident in his highest level of professionalism. Before taking up this honorable position, he will continue his work as part of our team.
— Giorgi Gakharia (@GakhariaGiorgi) December 19, 2020
Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani is also 'extremely proud'.
Extremely proud 4 ????????'s candidate Gocha Lordkipanidze 2 be elected t/ @IntlCrimCourt #Judge! Congrats 2 @GochaLord & entire #Georgia on this crucial achievement, boldly demonstrating ????????'s commitment 2 justice & trust of int'l community!
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) December 19, 2020
Lortkipanidze, 56, has graduated Essex University, Harvard School of Law, and Fordham University School of Law.
He has worked at the Georgian Foreign Ministry in 1991-2005, later becoming prime minister's adviser in foreign affairs and international law.
Between 2007 and 2010 he was invited to Columbia University as a researcher, while in 2010-2013, Lortkipanidze became an adjunct professor of the university.
Lortkipanidze, who has been deputy justice minister since 2012, served as acting justice minister following the recent parliamentary elections in Georgia.