Conference to Announce the Code of Conduct for Judges and the Code of Conduct for Lawyers

On Monday, 15 May 2023, the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy (IOL) held a conference at the Rotana Hotel in Erbil to announce the Code of Conduct for Judges and the Code of Conduct for Lawyers. The conference was attended by Judge Abdul Jabbar Aziz Hassan, President of the Kurdistan Region Judicial Council, together with his deputies; all members of the Kurdistan Region Court of Cassation; the presidents and members of the Courts of Appeal in Kurdistan; the presidents of criminal courts; Ms. Shilan Arif Hama, Deputy Minister of Justice; the Director General of the Diwan of the Ministry of Justice; Mr. Bakhtiar Haidar, President of the Kurdistan Bar Association; members of the Bar Association Council; a large number of advisers to the Kurdistan Parliament; lawyers; judicial investigators; a representative of the U.S. Consulate; and representatives of foreign and local organizations.
The conference opened with welcoming remarks. Subsequently, Mr. Bakhtiar Haidar, President of the Kurdistan Bar Association, delivered a speech highlighting the coordination between the Bar Association and the Investigator Organization since the beginning of the work on preparing the Code of Conduct. He also emphasized the importance of this work in further organizing and improving the daily practice of lawyers, both within their profession and in their relations with the courts, describing this step as an important necessity.
Following that, Peshawa Hussamaddin, the Project Manager, presented an overview of the project as a whole and explained the importance of having these two Codes of Conduct. He also discussed the challenges faced by the project team during the preparation of the codes. At the same time, he expressed his thanks and appreciation to the President of the Kurdistan Region Judicial Council for the exceptional support provided to the Investigator Organization. In continuation of his remarks, he also discussed the coordination between the Organization and the Kurdistan Bar Association and commended the role of the President of the Bar Association.
In another part of the conference, Judge Nigar Ahmad Agha, a member of the Erbil District Court of Appeal, presented an overview of the most important provisions of the Code of Conduct for Judges to the participants.
Subsequently, Dr. Pariz Najmaddin, a member of the Kurdistan Bar Association Council, likewise presented an overview of the most important provisions of the Code of Conduct for Lawyers to the participants.
At the conclusion of the conference, participants and representatives of various entities expressed their appreciation and support for the work and activities of the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy, and wished the Organization continued progress and further success.