Conference on Strengthening Juvenile Investigation and Trial Procedures in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region

Within the framework of the project “Promoting the Right to a Fair Trial, Improving Detention Conditions, and Preventing Torture,” IOL, Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy, organized a conference in Erbil on 18 November 2023 to discuss ways of strengthening investigation and trial procedures relating to juveniles.
The conference was organized in partnership with NPA, Norwegian People's Aid, and the Public Aid Organization (PAO), with financial support from the European Union (EU), within the framework of the Iraq National Human Rights Action Plan (2020–2024).
The conference brought together 70 participants representing a wide range of governmental institutions in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, including the Council of Representatives of Iraq and the Kurdistan Parliament, the Kurdistan Region Judicial Council, the Ministries of Interior and the Ministries of Labor and Social Affairs in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the Iraqi Ministry of Justice, the High Commission and the Independent Commission for Human Rights in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, in addition to academics and representatives of international and local organizations.
The conference concluded successfully with a number of practical recommendations aimed at improving the conditions of juveniles and enhancing the juvenile justice system in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. These recommendations will be formally submitted to the relevant authorities to support future legal and institutional reforms.