EU court: Poland chamber penalizing judges must be suspended

Europe’s top court has ordered Poland's government to immediately suspend a new body set up to discipline judges, saying the chamber did not guarantee independence or impartiality of its verdicts.

The newly appointed Disciplinary Chamber of Poland’s Supreme Court is widely seen as the right-wing government's tool to control judges who are critical of its policies.

The European Union has said the chamber violates basic values of judicial independence and rule of law.

Wednesday's ruling by the European Court of Justice was an interim measure while it weighs the EU’s case against Poland’s extensive changes to the judiciary.

Poland's government argues it has full right to shape its judiciary, saying it needs to be made more efficient and freed of communist-era legacy. Critics say the moves seriously threaten Poland's rule of law.