Skopje, 20 January 2026 (MIA) - At an urgent session held Tuesday, the Judicial Council of the Republic of North Macedonia, with 10 votes in favour, revoked the immunity of Appellate Court judge Gjoko Ristov and approved the proposal for house arrest at the request of the Skopje-based Criminal Court.

The Judicial Council members, with 10 votes in favour, temporarily suspend judge Gjoko Ristov from his judicial duties.

The appellate judge suspected in the case is charged with illegal acquisition and concealment of assets and money laundering, after police found €350,000 hidden in a wall at his parents’ home in Negotino.

Earlier Tuesday, the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Corruption proposed that the suspected judge Gjoko Ristov be placed under house arrest, submitting the request to a pre-trial judge at the Skopje-based Criminal Court.

In addition to this measure, it has been proposed to impose a precautionary measure consisting of the temporary confiscation of a passport or other document for crossing the state border, or a prohibition on its issuance.

Photo: MIA archive