News in brief

14.04.2013 - Appreciation for EUJUST LEX-Iraq

(from left) Dr. K. Murphy, Human Rights and Gender expert; Judge H. Aziz, co-trainer on EUJUST LEX-Iraq Domestic Violence courses; Q. Abdullah, legal adviser to the Ministry of Womens’ Affairs; and Prof. A. Girginov, Head of the EUJUST LEX Judiciary Team
In March, on the request of the Iraqi Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the EUJUST LEX-Iraq Judiciary team prepared a comprehensive commentary with specific recommendations on draft amendments to the Iraqi Penal Code. The English text was edited by the Human Rights and Gender group.

On 14 April Dr. Ibtihal al Zaidy, Minister of Women’s Affairs, was very appreciative of our technical assistance, saying that they had received for the first time such useful advice from an international organization, showing deep understanding of local penal law.

18.02.2013 - Trafficking in Persons course in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan

EUJUST LEX-Iraq gave a two-day awareness course about Trafficking in Persons to 16 Police Officers in Erbil on 17 and 18 February 2013. The course was cross-sector, led by the Police team from EJL-I’s Erbil Field Office, Jan-Willem Wieman and Jésus Suarez Benedicto, together with Margareta Krook, a Human Rights & Gender advisor from Baghdad.

Training was visited by Siobhan Simojoki from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Iraq; and Brigadier Hunar and Colonel Dara Hashim Ahmed, both from the Kurdish region Ministry of the Interior (KMoI), who also presented certificates to the participants.

14.02.2013 - “Train-the-Trainers” course on International Judicial Cooperation

A participant receiving his certificate from EJL-I Head of Mission, László Huszár, watched by Judge Fathi al-Juari and EJL-I judiciary team leader Anton Girginov

 On 14 February 2013 the EUJUST LEX-Iraq (EJL-I) Judiciary team concluded its comprehensive “train-the-trainers” course on International Judicial Cooperation in criminal matters by doing its third and final stage at the Judicial Development Institute in Baghdad. The course started on 1st October 2013. 

 
During this third stage all lectures were delivered and all discussions were conducted by the local co-trainer judge Fathi al-Juari. He successfully explained the legal mechanisms (prerequisites and procedures) of extradition and rogatory commissions, and how Iraqi judges should prepare outgoing requests for them to minimize the risk of rejection by the authorities of requested countries. The importance of petitions for international search and provisional detention of wanted fugitives was highlighted.
 
Judge Fathi al-Juari was actively supported by EJL-I judiciary team leader Anton Girginov, course coordinator Maria Grazia Benedetti and team member Adam Viplak. They answered many questions from the attendees: 24 judges, public prosecutors and judicial investigators from different Iraqi courts.
 
The leading Iraqi legal magazine “Legislation and Judiciary” recognizes in its latest volume the success of the course and its significance for the judiciary of Iraq in the fight against serious crime. Sincere appreciation and gratitude is expressed for the work done by EJL-I and its judiciary team, in particular. The same volume announces to Iraqi lawyers that they will see in the next volume of the magazine the judiciary team’s paper on European Judiciaries.
 
The next “train-the-trainers” course by the judiciary team at the Judicial Development Institute is dedicated to anti-corruption and criminal assets recovery. It is scheduled for 22-25 April.

31.01.2013 - Firs joint training in the International Standards Audit Programm (ISAP)

Haider Malik receiving a special coin for his first role as ISAP co-Trainer from Alison Stables. Matti Virkunnen looks on

 EUJUST-LEX  Expert in Rule of Law, Penitentiary, Basra Antenna,  Alison Stables and Haider Malik, Iraqi Correctional Service (ICS) Prison Governor in Basra,

conducted the first joint EU/ICS training in the International Standards Audit Programme (ISAP) from the 27th to 31st January 2013.
 
They were assisted by EUJUST-LEX Expert in Rule of Law, Penitentiary, Matti Virkunnen. The training took place at Iraqi Energy City, in Basra.
 
Ten senior ICS officials, Governors and Senior Staff attended the training. The course was successful and leads the way for the future hand-over of this project to the ICS.
 

 

23.01.2013 - “Prisoner Classification” Course in Iraqi Kurdistan

Head of Erbil Field Office, Lena Larsson, at the closing ceremony

From 20 to 23 January 2013, EUJUST LEX-Iraq conducted its fourth, in a series of four, course on “Prisoner Classification” for nine Kurdish Region (KR) Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) Correctional Service participants. The course took place in the European Technology & Training Centre (ETTC) in Nawroz Quarter, Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan.

The aim with these courses is to find practical solutions on how to improve the Correction Services in Iraq in terms of security, protection, rehabilitation, reintegration, international standard and human rights.

Prisoner Classification will improve and introduce into the Iraqi Correctional Service (ICS) European best practice on how to classify prisoners according to their sentence and the seriousness of their crimes.  The model used helps to manage prisons more effectively and efficiently while improving International Standards in the ICS.

The subject of Human Rights was included throughout the whole course as was the importance of planning for the introduction of structures in prison regimes.  Issues specifically concerning the circumstances and context that Prison staffs face in Iraqi Prisons were discussed in order to find appropriate solutions. A number of good suggestions were put forward by the participants during group discussions.

The course was planned, designed and delivered with co-operation of the Iraqi Correction Service (ICS) and KR MoLSA by EJL-I Rule of Law Penitentiary expert Matti Virkkunen.

Lena Larsson, Head of EUJUST LEX-Iraq’s Erbil Field Office attended the closing ceremony.