RAMALLAH, March 4, 2010 (WAFA)- Today the European Union (EU)-funded project for Empowering the Palestinian Judicial System, Seyada II, announced the launch of a one-year training programme aimed at supporting the legal and professional skills of assistant prosecutors in the West Bank.
An opening ceremony was held at the premises of the Judicial Institute to mark the launch of the programme. The ceremony was attended by Chief Justice Fareed Jallad, Minister of Justice Ali Khashan, Attorney General Ahmad Mughanni, and the Director of the Palestinian Judicial Institute – Judge As'ad Mubarak, among others. The European Union Head of Operations Mr. Roy Dickinson, also attended the launch ceremony and gave opening remarks on behalf of the EU.
The training programme, which was designed by the public prosecution, the Palestinian Judicial Institute and the EU-funded Seyada II project, will engage 36 assistant prosecutors from throughout the West Bank in a robust training programme on topics related to criminal law, criminal procedures law, civil procedures law, as well as the essential communication and leadership skills that are needed for the effective operation of assistant prosecutors. A pool of trainers comprised of veteran Palestinian judges and chief prosecutors will lead and facilitate the training on legal topics while experienced leadership trainers will lead and facilitate the training on other skills. The training will take place between March 2010 and February 2011. Three days of training will be conducted each month, two of which will take place during weekends in order to minimize disruption to the normal essential workload of the Palestinian trainees and trainers.
Chief Justice Fareed Jallad noted the importance of advancing the professional skills of members of the prosecution and providing them with the necessary resources for the proper functioning of the justice system. He emphasized the importance of supporting the three elements of the 'justice triangle: judges, prosecutors and lawyers.' Chief Justice Jallad added, 'The High Judicial Council is therefore determined to provide the necessary support for public prosecution throughout this programme, which is being implemented at the Palestinian Judicial Institute.'
'The EU shares Prime Minster's Fayyad's vision of the institutions of the future Palestinian state being ready to assume all of their responsibilities by 2011,' said Mr. Roy Dickinson – the European Union Head of Operations. Mr. Dickinson also added that 'This training programme for assistant prosecutors, designed together with the Palestinian justice system, is a small but vital contribution to achieving that vision of a Palestinian state subject to the rule of law and protecting the rights of all its citizens.'
'This training programme is part of a larger component undertaken by Seyada II aimed at supporting the Palestinian Judicial Institute to achieve the objectives of having an effective and modern judicial institute which organizes, manages and evaluates training programmes for judges, public prosecutors and non-judicial staff in the West Bank', noted Rasem Kamal – Judicial Training Component Leader at Seyada II.
The EU-funded Seyada II project will run until August 2012, and is working to develop a more independent, impartial, efficient, transparent and modern justice system in Palestinian Authority. In addition to supporting the Palestinian Judicial Training Institute, Seyada II is primarily concerned with developing the High Judicial Council, the Palestinian Bar Association, a legal aid programme, and Constitutional Review. Seyada II is implemented by a consortium led by ICON-INSTITUT Public Sector GmbH and including the Belgian Development Cooperation Agency (BTC-CTB) and the Centre for International Legal Cooperation (CILC).
