To last until 2015Strategy on judicial reform [Archives:2005/812/Local News]
Ismail Al-Ghabiri
The Yemeni Minister of Justice, Adnan Al-Jefri announced a new strategy for developing and updating the systems of Yemeni judiciary due to last up until 2015.
The strategy focuses on providing a comprehensive system of legislations associating with the commercial judiciary as well as establishing specialized courts for the commercial judiciary, and public property and juvenile courts.
The strategy aims at upgrading the systems of prosecution and judicial investigations and enhancing women participation as well as activating the role of women and giving them jobs in the judicial institutions.
Al-Jefri said that the strategy aims to train and qualify judges and other workers in the judiciary and prosecution. It also aims to update the competent bodies that may help limit the rate of prolonged court procedures and ignore the traditional habits reflected in the negative concepts of the judiciary and social culture that obstruct justice and court procedures.
The Minister said, “The plan of upgrading judiciary is not limited to the judicial procedures and the list of the appointment of judges, rather it intends to tackle the cultural issues that surround judiciary, rectify the prevailing thoughts about justice and reinforce the status of the judiciary.
The strategy stresses that the judiciary should be independent and well organized in addition to having judiciary police.
According to the strategy, the system of judicial inspection should be activated and the specialized courts should be supported, particularly those associating with the commercial judiciary. The strategy included the international trade to guarantee the provision of law-abiding environment safe for investment in Yemen.
The Minister confirmed that the judicial move issued recently included the appointment of 615 members for preliminary prosecutions and 420 members in the general and appeal prosecution.
In addition, 1,000 judges were handed jobs in the Supreme Court and other appeal and preliminary courts in all Yemeni governorates.
The Minister denied that the Supreme judiciary Council endorsed such appointments before being issued by a republican decree.
He added there were some competent and experienced judges who have been fired from the judiciary institutions for several years. But now they are taking jobs in the judiciary, and the country is expected to benefit from them in the reform and development of judiciary.
According to the minister, 22 judges were sacked because committed several violations that warranted their dismissal as well as denying them the judicial immunity. The minister therefore refused to mention their names.
Concerning the participation of Yemeni woman in the judicial institutions Al-Jefri said: “the judicial move included the appointment of five women as court chief magistrates, specifically in the juvenile courts, and eight women were chosen as members in the general and appeal prosecutions. There are 161 women who are currently working in the judicial body and no obstacles against women have ever been realized.”
He noted: “The Higher Institute for Judiciary is ever open for women who graduated from different faculties of law and desire to pursue their higher education.”
——
[archive-e:812-v:13-y:2005-d:2005-01-31-p:ln]
