FINDINGS OF THE MONITORING BY REGION EASTERN REGION The monitors observed 367 court hearings in the eastern region, which amounts to 26% of the total number of court hearings attended. The monitoring in the eastern region included Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts: 31 41 (38 %) hearings – in criminal cases; 86 (23 %) hearings – in civil cases; 30 (8 %) hearings – in commercial cases; 367 79 COURT HEARINGS 79 (22 %) hearings – in administrative cases; 31 (9 %) hearings – in administrative offences cases. 41 86 30 Most visited hearings took place in first instance courts – 265 (72%), another 102 (28%) – in courts of appeal. OBSERVATION OF GENERAL RULES OF PROCEDURE According to the monitoring data, all over Ukraine the hearings were conducted impeccably in 48% of cases. At the same time, in the eastern region this indicator was lower – 45%. In addition, in the eastern region the monitors stated that the judge grossly breached the rules of adjudication or the rights of the parties to the case 2% less frequently (3% against the general indicator, 5% nationwide). Nevertheless, by many indicators the monitoring in the eastern region demonstrated a better situation than nationwide. In 87% of cases the judge considered the case wearing a robe and a badge, which correlates with the general rate for all of Ukraine. The difference in observance of the rules for identifying the participants of the hearing is more visible. In the eastern region the situation regarding this indicator is worse than nationwide. At the same time, compliance with the requirement to observe the confidentiality of the deliberations room is the same as nationwide. PUBLICITY The schedule of hearings was posted on the web-site of the court in 94% of cases monitored (matches the nationwide average rate). The information about cases was posted on the court’s information board less often – in 85% (3% above the nationwide average rate). In 99% of cases the monitors were allowed into the room (a courtroom or judges’ chambers) where the consideration of the case took place (above nationwide average by 1%). In 77% of cases the courts heard the case in the courtroom (below nationwide average by 5%). 68 MONITORING OF ADHERENCE TO FAIR TRIAL STANDARDS IN UKRAINE