Activities
Workshops, field programmes, legal-literacy campaigns, and advocacy initiatives across the Kurdistan Region.
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Opening of the Judicial Investigation Office at the Erbil Forensic Medical Institute
On the morning of Thursday, July 7, 2022, and within the framework of the “Review of Mandatory Forensic Medical Reports” project, the Judicial Investigation Office at the Erbil Forensic Medical Institute was officially inaugurated.The event was attended by Mr. Gaylan Khalid Mustafa, Vice President of the Erbil Appellate Court; Mr. Lionel Laforgue, Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Kurdistan; Ms. Azhy Amin, Head of the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Unit at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); Dr. Yasin Karim, Director of the Erbil Forensic Medical Institute; and the Project Manager, Mr. Ali Abdulrahman.The organization was also represented at the event by Judicial Investigator Kamarān Nashaat, Member of the Board of Trustees; Hakar Saeed Salim, Administrative and Financial Officer; and Awdeer Anwar, Head of Relations.During an official ceremony, the Judicial Investigation Office at the Erbil Forensic Medical Institute was inaugurated with the aim of expediting and streamlining work procedures, facilitating access to services for the public, and strengthening access to swift and effective justice.Furthermore the “Review of Mandatory Forensic Medical Reports” project, implemented by the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and with financial support from the European Regional Development and Protection Program (RDPP) over a period of four months, included the establishment and provision of all necessary requirements for Judicial Investigation Offices at the Forensic Medical Institutes in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok.The Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy successfully implemented this initiative in cooperation with the Judicial Council, the Appellate Courts of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok, the Ministry of Health, and the directorates of the Forensic Medical Institutes in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok.Henceforth, requests related to the deceased examination form and examination reports concerning sexual assault (rape) cases will fall under the responsibility of these Judicial Investigation Offices. Police stations will also receive their reports directly from these offices.
The First Legal Awareness Training Course for Religious Leaders in Erbil
Within the framework of the “Preventing Child Marriage Under the Age of 18” project, implemented by the Investigator Organization for Supporting the Rule of Law and Democracy in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and with the support of the Regional Development and Protection Program (RDPP), the first legal awareness training course for 30 religious leaders was conducted in Erbil on 6 July 2022. The training was attended by Tayib Zrar Sherwani, Director General of the Erbil Directorate of Endowments and Religious Affairs; Dr. Omar Hassan Mro, Member of the Executive Office of the Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union; as well as Lionel LAFORGUE, Azhi Amin, and Sana Karwan, representatives of UNFPA. At the opening session, Awder Anwar Karim, Project Manager, presented an overview of the project’s objectives, content, and implementation framework. This was followed by opening remarks from Tayib Zrar Sherwani on behalf of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, after which Dr. Omar Hassan Mro, representing the Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union, delivered his remarks. During the main session, Judge Badraddin Barzinji, Public Prosecutor, delivered the legal training, covering key legislative frameworks, including the Penal Law, the Domestic Violence Law, Premarital Blood Testing, the Personal Status Law, and the Law on Preventing the Misuse of Communication Devices. The course concluded with an interactive discussion among participants, during which comments, observations, and recommendations were presented and received.
Visit by Dr. Ursina Wirz-Kuhn, UNICEF Consultant and Former Public Prosecutor in Sweden, to the Headquarters of the Investigator Organization
On July 5, 2022, Dr. Ursina Wirz-Kuhn, a UNICEF consultant and former public prosecutor in Sweden, visited the headquarters of the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy, where she was received by Dr. Ahmed Miran, President of the Board of Directors; Judge Badraddin Barzinji, President of the Board of Trustees; and Mr. Ali Abdulrahman, Head of Projects. During the meeting, Dr. Ursina explained, in her capacity as a UNICEF consultant, that she was preparing a study on issues concerning children and juveniles in the Kurdistan Region. In this context, she raised a number of questions regarding the amended Juvenile Welfare Law No. (76) of 1983 and other applicable laws in the Region. The questions focused particularly on the judicial proceedings concerning juveniles, from the investigation stage through to the competent juvenile courts and the stages of review and appeal. The meeting also addressed the obstacles and challenges facing juveniles in accessing justice. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy provided the necessary legal clarifications and responses to the questions raised by Dr. Ursina.
Consultative Session to Review the Draft Guidelines for the Forensic Medicine Law
On 30 June 2022, within the framework of the “Review of Mandatory Forensic Medical Reports” project, implemented by the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy (IOL) in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and with the support of the European Regional Development and Protection Program (RDPP), a consultative session was held to review the draft guidelines for Forensic Medicine Law No. (16) of 2001 in the Kurdistan Region, prepared by our organization. The session was attended by forensic medicine specialists and experts from the forensic medicine institutes and directorates in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, and Halabja, as well as representatives of forensic medicine departments in the independent administrations of Garmian, Raparin, and Soran, in addition to legal experts from the legal departments of the Ministry of Health and the General Directorate of Erbil Health. At the beginning of the session, Mr. Ali Abdulrahman, Project Manager, delivered a brief presentation on the implementation of the project over a period of four months and addressed the main challenges and obstacles encountered by the project team during implementation, as well as the mechanisms adopted to address them. Subsequently, retired Judge Rahim Al-Aqili presented an overview of the content of the draft guidelines. Participants were then given the opportunity to present their comments and recommendations on the draft guidelines. Their specialized observations and proposals contributed to further enriching the draft. The session was attended by a number of forensic medicine specialists and representatives from different areas, including Dr. Yasin Karim Amin, Director of the Forensic Medicine Institute in Erbil; Dr. Bakhtiar Rashid Qadir, Deputy Director of the Forensic Medicine Institute in Sulaymaniyah; Dr. Tamara Ablahad Hanna, Representative of the Forensic Medicine Institute in Duhok; as well as representatives of forensic medicine in Raparin, Halabja, Garmian, and Soran. The session also included forensic medicine experts from outside the main cities, namely Dr. Kamil Haidar Kakahama, Representative of Forensic Medicine in Raparin; Dr. Bahroz Mohammed Hussein, Representative of Forensic Medicine in Halabja; Dr. Hassan Abdullah Ahmed, Representative of Forensic Medicine in Garmian; and Dr. Sattar Salim Hassan, Director of Forensic Medicine in Soran; in addition to Dr. Jamila Salih Hamad Amin and Dr. Dilman Azad Khoshnaw, as specialists in the field of forensic medicine. At the conclusion of the session, following nearly four hours of discussion and exchange of views, the various perspectives and recommendations were brought together to facilitate the finalization of the draft guidelines in a more precise and professional manner.
World Day in Support of Victims of Torture
Mr. Muthanna Mahmoud, representing the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy, participated in a special event marking the World Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The event was organized by the Office of the Coordinator for International Recommendations, in cooperation with Heartland Alliance and in partnership with the Democracy & Human Rights Development Center (DHRD), and was held at the Erbil International Hotel. The event was attended by Ms. Danielle Bell, Head of the Human Rights Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), alongside representatives of governmental, judicial, and parliamentary institutions, as well as representatives of civil society organizations. The event featured a constructive and comprehensive dialogue on the crime of torture, the importance of ensuring accountability for such crimes in the Kurdistan Region, and the need to work towards reparations and compensation for victims of torture.
Conducting the Third and Final Training Course on the “International Protocol on the Investigation of Sexual Crimes in Conflict-Related Situations”
Within the framework of the “Review of Mandatory Forensic Medical Reports” project, in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and with the support of the European Regional Development and Protection Program (RDPP), and in conjunction with the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1888, adopted on 19 June 2010, the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy conducted the third and final training course on the “International Protocol on the Investigation of Sexual Crimes in Conflict-Related Situations” in Erbil on 18 and 19 June 2022. The course brought together judicial investigators affiliated with the Judicial Council, lawyers affiliated with the Bar Association, doctors and healthcare professionals from the Ministry of Health, and investigative officers from the Ministry of Interior. The two-day course was held at the Dedeman Hotel. At the beginning of the course, Mr. Ali Abdulrahman, Project Manager, provided a brief overview of the stages of project implementation. This was followed by training sessions delivered by Dr. Ahmed Miran, PhD in International Crimes. On the first day, the sessions addressed topics related to the philosophy of war, international crimes, sexual crimes, and responsibility for international crimes. The second day focused on the concept and definitions of sexual violence, the main forms of sexual crimes, as well as the use of the International Protocol in investigating such crimes and collecting relevant evidence and information. The participants were subsequently divided into four groups to carry out a group activity. Each group was assigned a section of the International Protocol on the Investigation of Sexual Crimes in Conflict-Related Situations. The groups worked for 45 minutes to identify the key points in their assigned sections and record their findings on presentation sheets. At the conclusion of the activity, group representatives presented their findings and understanding of the assigned sections in detail to the participants. Certificates of participation were distributed at the end of the training course. Furthermore, the same training course had previously been conducted in Sulaymaniyah on 10–11 May 2022 and in Duhok on 24–25 May 2022 for similar professional and institutional groups.
Conducting a Consultative Session on the Project to Prevent Marriage Under the Age of 18
Within the framework of the “Preventing Marriage Under the Age of 18” project, the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy (IOL), in partnership and cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and with the support of the Regional Development and Protection Program (RDPP), organized a consultative session on 14 June 2022, with the participation of a number of relevant stakeholders. During the session, Mr. Awdir Anwar, the Project Officer, presented detailed statistics prepared by the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy on the total number of marriage contracts registered in personal status courts in the Kurdistan Region during 2021, including cases involving marriages of persons under the age of 18 that were concluded with judicial authorization. Subsequently, Judge Badraddin Barzanji, the Organization’s Advisor, presented a detailed legal comparison of personal status laws in a number of neighboring and Arab countries concerning the minimum age prescribed for marriage. He also presented the proposed draft amendments to the Personal Status Law concerning provisions related to permitting marriage under the age of 18, which had been prepared by the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy. At the conclusion of the session, the floor was opened for discussion and participation. A large number of participants actively contributed by presenting their observations and views. The various opinions and perspectives were duly taken into consideration and contributed to further enriching and developing the project.
Conducting the First Training Course on the “International Protocol on the Investigation of Sexual Crimes in Conflict-Related Situations”
Within the framework of the “Review of Mandatory Forensic Medical Reports” project, and in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and with the support of the Regional Development and Protection Program (RDPP), the first training course on the “International Protocol on the Investigation of Sexual Crimes in Conflict-Related Situations” was conducted in Duhok on 24 and 25 May 2022. The course was attended by participants from relevant institutions and entities, including judicial investigators affiliated with the Judicial Council, lawyers affiliated with the Bar Association, doctors and healthcare employees affiliated with the Ministry of Health, and investigative officers affiliated with the Ministry of Interior. The two-day course was continuous, with the sessions delivered by trainer Dr. Ahmed Miran, PhD in International Crimes. On the first day, the course addressed topics related to the philosophy of war, international crimes, sexual crimes, and responsibility for international crimes. On the second day, the sessions examined the concept of sexual violence and the basic definitions of sexual crimes, as well as the use of the International Protocol in investigating such crimes and collecting relevant evidence and information. As part of the course, Dr. Tamara Ablahad Saka, a forensic physician at the Duhok Directorate of Forensic Medicine, delivered a one-hour presentation on the examination and handling of cases related to investigations into sexual crimes that are referred by the courts to the Duhok Directorate of Forensic Medicine. The participants subsequently took part in practical training through a number of applied activities and group work aimed at enhancing their understanding and practical application of the International Protocol on the Investigation of Sexual Crimes. The participants then provided detailed explanations of their understanding of the topics addressed through the activities. Furthermore, the same course was conducted in Sulaymaniyah on 10 and 11 May 2022, and a similar course for the same group is scheduled to be held in Erbil during June 2022.
Organizing a Consultative Session on the Review of Forensic Medical Reports
The Investigator Organization for Supporting Role of Law and Democracy (IOL), with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and financial support from (RDPP), organized a consultative session in Erbil, Dedeman Hotel, on 30 March 2022, within the framework of the project “Review of Forensic Medical Reports.” The session was attended by a number of judges, public prosecutors, judicial investigators, forensic doctors, emergency hospital directors and legal officers, as well as a representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The session aimed to conduct an open and inclusive dialogue on the challenges and obstacles facing the organization and development of procedures related to forensic medical reports. Participants enriched the discussion through their valuable observations and recommendations, which will later be submitted as recommendations to the relevant authorities.
Conducting Two Legal Seminars on Laws Related to the Health Sector
Within the framework of the project “Reviewing Mandatory Forensic Medical Reports,” implemented by the Investigator Organization for Supporting Role of Law and Democracy (IOL) in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and with financial support from the Regional Development and Protection Program (RDPP), two legal seminars were organized on 24 and 25 May 2022 in Duhok Governorate and Amedi District. The two seminars were organized for health sector employees of both genders, including doctors, legal and administrative staff, medical assistants, and nurses. The seminars focused on laws and regulations related to the health sector, and each seminar lasted for more than two hours. The seminar content was presented by the organization’s legal advisor, Judge Badraddin Barzanji. More than 70 participants officially attended the two seminars at both locations. The Investigator Organization for Supporting Role of Law and Democracy (IOL) extends its sincere appreciation to the Director General of Health of Duhok Governorate, Amedi Health Directorate, and the Directors of Relations and Legal Affairs Departments in both locations for their valuable coordination and facilitation, which contributed to the successful implementation of the two seminars.
Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Investigator Organization for Supporting Role of Law and Democracy (IOL) and the Kurdistan Bar Association (KBA)
With the aim of providing greater support and benefit to the judicial family, particularly lawyers who are known within the judicial system as (the legal profession, lawyers and advocates, who represent parties before the courts), the Investigator Organization for Supporting Role of Law and Democracy (IOL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kurdistan Bar Association (KBA). Under this Memorandum of Understanding, the Investigator Organization for Supporting Role of Law and Democracy (IOL), in coordination and cooperation with the Kurdistan Bar Association (KBA), will undertake the drafting and preparation of a Lawyers’ Code of Conduct in accordance with international standards and best practices, with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). This Code of Conduct will serve as a professional and guiding framework to facilitate lawyers’ work, enhance their professional capacity, and strengthen the foundations of sound legal practice within the field of justice. The Memorandum of Understanding also includes further areas of future cooperation and coordination between both parties, aimed at serving the judicial family and legal institutions, in addition to the preparation of the Lawyers’ Code of Conduct. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Thursday, 17 March 2022, at the Kurdistan Bar Association, in the presence of Mr. Bakhtiar Haidar, President of the Kurdistan Bar Association, and Dr. Ahmed Miran, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Investigator Organization for Supporting Role of Law and Democracy (IOL).
IOL Delegation Visits the Office of the Embassy of Canada in the Kurdistan Region
A delegation from the Investigator Organization for supporting role of law and Democracy, comprising Dr. Ahmed Miran, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, accompanied by Peshawa Husamaddin, Member of the Advisory Board, and Awder Anwar, Head of the Organization’s Relations Department, visited the Office of the Embassy of Canada in Iraq, located at Rotana Hotel in Erbil. During the meeting, both sides discussed the current state of the judicial system in the Kurdistan Region, the principal challenges and obstacles facing the judiciary, as well as the role of civil society organizations working in the field of the rule of law and the challenges, they encounter in carrying out their mission. The two parties also explored opportunities to strengthen future cooperation and identified practical mechanisms for developing joint projects and programs through which they can exchange expertise and benefit from each other's capacities, with the shared objective of supporting the rule of law, promoting justice, and serving the community in the Kurdistan Region.