This photograph of the visit of the Turkish judge and the President of the #ECtHR to a school in Mardin (during the weekend and when schools are shut) with a handsome group of representatives of the ruling political party raises a number of important article 6 questions. Notably:

1, was this a private, touristic trip to one of the most beautiful sites in Turkey?

2, why were the two judges visiting a school on a weekend?

3, why were many representatives of any political party accompanying the judges of the ECHR to a closed school on the weekend, if this were a private visit?

4, under the resolution of Judicial Ethics of 2008, judges of the ECHR ‘shall exercise their function impartially, and ensure the appearance of impartiality’. Was a thorough ethical impact assessment undertaken prior to this situation by the Turkish judge?

5, if a thorough ethical impact assessment for this visit was undertaken by the Turkish judge, what were the favorable reasons supporting its organization

6, as per the resolution above, has the Turkish judge raised any doubts on the application of impartiality in this situation, and sought the advice of the President of the Court?

7, will the President report to the Plenary Court on the application of these principles to an empty school visit, and photograph which shows the Turkish judge and the President with a large number of representatives of a political party?

All questions that need to be addressed by any judge of the ECHR on any trip as a matter of course.