Rule of Law Award selection criteria

The Rule of Law Award (formerly referred to as the CEELI Award) was established in 1994 to honor leaders, and the countries they represent, who have taken significant steps towards implementing democratic and market reforms in their country.  The recipient of the Rule of Law Award must agree to receive the award personally at the American Bar Association’s Annual Meeting.  Only one person is typically honored each year.  The Rule of Law Initiative board selects the recipient based on the following criteria:

• The progress of legal reform, on a structural basis, in the nominee’s country: the nominee must have acted to change the country’s legal structure to ensure the establishment of an independent legal system.
• The protection of human rights in the nominee’s country: the nominee must have taken important steps to ensure the protection of individual rights, to address ethnic tensions, and to build a civil society.
• The advancement of a free market economy in the nominee’s country: the nominee will have fostered legislation or taken other steps designed to establish a free market economy.
• The international stature of the nominee: the nominee will have used his position as a head of state or other position to advance democracy and the rule of law not only in his or her country, but throughout the region and the world.

 

Past Rule of Law Honorees

• Those lawyers and judges in Pakistan who demonstrated courage in upholding the rule of law in their country.
• The Hon. Stephen Breyer, U.S. Supreme Court Justice
• The Hon. Anthony Kennedy, U.S. Supreme Court Justice
• The Hon. Hilario Davide, Retired Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice
• Committee of Voters of Ukraine
• His Excellency Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia
• Natasa Kandic, Founder And President, Humanitarian Law Center
• His Excellency Stjepan Mesic, President of Croatia
• His Excellency Vaclav Havel, President of The Czech Republic
• His Excellency Emil Constantinescu, President of Romania
• His Excellency Petar Stoyanov, President of Bulgaria
• His Excellency Guntis Ulmanis, President of Latvia
• His Excellency Michal Kovac, President of The Slovak Republic
• His Excellency Kiro Gligorov, President of Macedonia

 

About the Rule of Law Initiative Reformer’s Award

The ABA Rule of Law Initiative Reformer’s Award originated in 2002 and recognizes outstanding contributions in promoting the rule of law around the world.  Reformer’s Award recipients are individuals or organizations that have shown uncommon vision, courage and perseverance in advancing the rule of law in their country.  The criteria for consideration include:

• The Nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to the rule of law over a period of several years.
• The Nominee’s contributions have resulted in concrete advances in the rule of law.
• The Nominee must have demonstrated perseverance or courage in pressing for reforms.
• The Nominee’s achievements must be valued by fellow reformers in his or her country.
• The Nominee must have demonstrated strong character.
• The Nominee must have shown vision in carrying out reforms in his or her country.
• The Nominee must have represented the interests of all citizens regardless of sex, ethnicity, race, national origin or religion.

 

Past recipients of the Reformer’s Award include: 

Russian Duma Deputy Elena Mizulina (2002); Serbian Supreme Court Judge Leposava Karamarkovic (2002); Albanian Supreme Court Justice Thimjo Kondi (2003); President of the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates Ms. Lirie Osmani (2004); the League for the Defense of Human Rights of Moldova (LADOM) (2004); former Chairman of the Supreme Court of Georgia Justice Lado Chanturia (2004); and Ukrainian Supreme Court Judge, Viktor Vasyliovych Kryvenko.