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Ramallah – Upon
the initiative of a number of credible and community supported civil
society organizations operating in the field of democracy, human rights
and good governance, the Coalition for Integrity and Accountability
“AMAN” which was established in 2000, is launching a national program to
combat corruption that is intended to advocate and consolidate the
values of integrity, transparency and accountability in the Palestinian
public labor sectors in order to build an anti corruption national
culture and a system for national integrity.
The Coalition for
Integrity and Accountability “AMAN” has recently begun the
implementation of the project for strengthening the efficiency and
independence of the judicial authority with the funding of the EU at a
value of 229,850 Euros. This project comes within the framework of AMAN
coalition’s objectives and directives intended to consolidate the
principle of the rule of law and the judicial independence in accordance
with articles 97 and 98 of the Palestinian Basic Law.
The project will last
for two years and will target the three components of justice: the
Supreme Judicial Council, the Ministry of Justice and the Public
Prosecution. It also seeks to consolidate the integrity systems in the
judicial authority and its role and status in building the national
integrity and also consolidate public confidence in the judiciary and
consolidate the right of citizens to resort to justice without any
discrimination, or favoritism or any impartial channels. Additionally,
the project seeks to contribute to consolidating the abilities of judges
and the operators in the judiciary and the public prosecution in their
combat of corruption by developing the Palestinian legislative system in
harmony with the spirit of the UN convention to combat corruption. The
project will also prepare young carders who are expected to be involved
in the judiciary particularly the law and public management students in
local universities.
In this context, AMAN
coalition held an important meeting with the Head of the Supreme
Judicial Council Faruid Al Jallad in the presence of Judge Azmi Tunjar –
the Head of the department of Judicial Search- and Mr. Majed Al Aruri,
the Head of Media Judicial Centre. The coalition also held another
meeting with the Minister of Justice Dr. Ali Khashan during which Dr.
Azmi Shu’eibi, the coalition’s anti corruption commissioner and Ghada Al
Zughayyar, the executive Director of the project as well as Mr. Wael Al
Haj, the project manager, outlined the main objectives and benchmarks of
the project as a step in preparation for its implementation in
partnership with all the stakeholders.
On 5 May 2010, AMAN held
a workshop for 4th year university (senior) law students at
the An Najah University. The workshop was attended by 22 students and
dealt with the code of conduct blog related to the judiciary and
legislation and mechanisms of combating corruption. The students and the
university administration lauded the role of AMAN’s coalition for
integrity in raising the awareness of the Palestinian public about the
importance of getting involved in combating corruption and cooperating
with civil and academic organizations and joining efforts in order to
prevail a society that is void of corruption.
In the same context, Mr.
Wael Al Haj, the project manager presented a detailed outline of the
work undertaken by AMAN’s varied programs and projects. He also thanked
the university administration and students for hosting AMAN and he also
thanked the EU for its help and assistance to the Palestinian people and
its organizations.
Strengthening the
efficiency, independence and accountability of the judicial authority
This EU funded project
of strengthening the efficiency, independence and accountability of the
judicial authority which falls within AMAN’s objectives and scope is
being implemented since February 2010 and targets one of the most
important Palestinian sector of justice with its three components: :
the Supreme Judicial Council, the Ministry of Justice and the Public
Prosecution. AMAN views the sector of justice as the most important
pillar of national integrity particularly that it seeks to dedicate the
rule of law which is the umbrella under which everything else falls.
The project was launched
on the basis of AMAN’s conviction of judicial independence which is
safeguarded by article 97 in the Basic Law and articles 75 and 76 which
governs the relationship between the executive and judicial authorities.
Though this project, AMAN seeks to implement and support the Basic Law
and the Judicial Authority Code of 2002 as well as consolidate the role
and status of the confidence of the Palestinian public in the judiciary
and also strengthen judicial accountability and contribute to the
support of the supreme judicial council in its efforts to build and
improve the capacity and efficiency of the judiciary and those who
occupy judicial posts in combating corruption.
In its efforts to
prepare young cadres who are expected to be involved in the judiciary,
AMAN is targeting 100 4th year (senior) law students in
Palestinian universities to sensitize them to the code of conduct blog
related to the judiciary. AMAN will also work with the Palestinian
public in order to raise their awareness and confidence in the judiciary
by conducting awareness campaigns in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Additionally, AMAN expects to come out with a legal terms of reference
that will regulate the work of the stakeholders of justice within this
project.
AMAN seeks to achieve
these objectives through a number of meetings, workshops, training and
analytical reports, hearing sessions and national conferences and other
interventions that seek to assist the Supreme Judicial Council to adopt
a number of written and declared mechanisms to strengthen integrity,
transparency and accountability in the related council’s sections.
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