Judiciary and media discussed [Archives:2004/777/Local News]
By Ramzi al-Absi
Yemen Times Staff
A discussion session on 'Judiciary and Media' under the slogan 'towards effective partnership to achieve justice' was held at the Higher Institute of the Judiciary during the period from September 22nd-23rd 2004. The Ministry of Justice organized the session under the patronage of its Minister, Dr. Adnan al-Jefri. The session aimed at raising awareness among participants, from both the judical system and the media, about the significance of coordination between them to achieve justice.
More than 120 men and women who are working in the judical system and media attended the session. Under-secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Zabarah, and Under-secretary of the Ministry of Information, delivered welcoming speeches opening the session. Zabarah praised the session on its first day while some papers were presented stressing the importance of a complementary relationship between the judiciary and the media.
Ali al-Jaradi presented a working paper on the 'scope and nature of media treatments'. Another paper was presented by Dr. Mohammed Ja'afar Qasim, Under-secretary of the Ministry of Justice, on the famous American experience, Shepard, that narrates a trial affected by the Judicature and media. Many questions and comments were presented when analyzing these papers.
Ali Abu Hulaiqah, Head of the Constitutional Committee in the parliament, headed the session on the second day. Dr. Yahya al-khazzan and Dr. Sameer al-Abdali presented their papers entitled 'Judicial independence and press freedom'. Khalid al-Dubais talked about 'the exchange of views between judicature and media'. Not only that but even Ra'afat Maswa'ae presented a TV model on the scope and nature of media treatment. Hamoud Munassar, and Dr. Ahmed al-Wushali presented 'the relationship between the judicature and the media' and 'the legal controls on the media treatment' respectively. Dr. Ali al-Sharafi contributed to the session with his speech on the legal items that deal with punishing, imprisoning and executing pressmen.
The Minister of Justice concluded the session with a speech showing that: 'we should seek to modify many law items, not only those that deal with the media.' in this respect, Dr. al-Sharafi said: “there are 19 items in the Yemeni law that allow punishing pressmen on different levels. We aren't allowed to say that an item is wrong or unjust, or disobey it on that account, but we should suggest that in front of the legislative authority and do our best to make them modify it.”
The Committee of Recommendations was formed of Hamoud Munassar, Sa'eed Thabet, Dr. Mohammed Ja'afar Qasim, and Judge Rasheed al-Manifi. Concerning the recommendations of the session, Dr. Moh'd Qasim said to YT: “we hope that the decisions and recommendations of the session make a powerful reinforcement on judicial work. Some of the main recommendations were:
– The importance of coordination through raising awareness about the judicature throughout media.
– Working on forming a media plan to contribute towards reinforcing the judiciary and its position in society.
– Supporting the role of men of justice in protecting others' freedom, liberty and achieving justice.
– Fulfilling the joint duties of the judiciary and the media that aim to combat the negative phenomena such as revenge, terrorism and kidnapping.
“Though the session was the first of its kind, it was considered a great success. It urged us to continue organizing such sessions in collaboration with the Yemen Journalists Syndicate, in order to create developed public understanding of the importance of press freedom and civil organizations as guarantors of human rights.
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