Second Consultative Meeting Held to Review the Draft Criminal Courts Procedures Guide

Within the framework of the project supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a consultative meeting was held in Duhok on 16 May 2026.
The meeting brought together 18 judges and public prosecutors, in addition to advisors from the Judicial Council, the Director of the Office of the President of the Judicial Council, and the Council's Project Coordinator. The meeting was dedicated to reviewing the Draft Criminal Courts Procedures Guide.
The meeting commenced with opening remarks by Judge and Public Prosecutor Badraddin Karim Barzanji, President of the Investigator Organization for Supporting the Rule of Law and Democracy, who welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of the initiative in strengthening judicial procedures. This was followed by remarks from Judge Hussein Saleh Ibrahim, representative of the Presidency of the Duhok Court of Appeal, who commended the Organization's efforts in preparing and organizing the consultative meeting. Judge and Public Prosecutor Majid Mohammed Ahmed, Deputy Head of the Duhok Public Prosecution Office, also delivered remarks highlighting the significance of the project and its contribution to improving the efficiency of the justice system.
During the meeting, Retired Judge Rahim Al-Aqili presented the draft Criminal Courts Procedures Guide, followed by an extensive discussion in which participants shared their comments, observations, and recommendations to further improve and enrich the draft.
It is worth noting that the same consultative meeting will also be held in Sulaymaniyah Governorate to continue reviewing the draft and benefit from the observations of legal and judicial experts.