2023-03-13

ًWest Bank

West Bank / Announcement

Esteemed President of the Bar Association, Mr. Suhail Ashour,

Honorable Members of the Bar Association,

Subject: Your initiative to launch a National Plan for the development of the justice sector

MUSAWA-The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession, extends its best greetings to you. Further to the statement issued by your esteemed council on 11/03/2023 regarding your initiative to launch a National Plan for the development of the justice sector, and out of our belief that the judiciary and justice are a right for the society, and that reformation of the justice system requires participation, vision, and a societal mechanism capable of transitioning from the current reality of the justice sector to a reality that upholds and promotes the principles of the rule of law such as (The separation of powers / The rule of law / The independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary). Hence, we believe this initiative holds special importance and should be shared with all official and civil partners, including the civil society organizations of which MUSAWA falls under their banner. Therefore, we request that your esteemed council provide us with a copy of that plan so we can carefully examine it and weigh in on it.

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

Recalling the meeting of the representatives of unions (associations) and civil society organizations, including MUSAWA, at the Bar’s headquarters on 8/3/2023, where they referred to the importance of having a national plan for the development of the justice sector. Accordingly, MUSAWA’s representative expressed MUSAWA’s readiness to put its initiative to reform and unify the judiciary, in the hands of the unions and civil society organizations, in hopes of reaching a collective agreement on a national plan for the development of the justice sector. MUSAWA’s proposal was well received by those gathered including the representatives of your esteemed council, but your representatives failed to mention during the meeting anything about an initiative or a plan as it was not distributed to the meeting participants, nor was it laid out for discussion in order to be approved by the unions and organization. It has also not been circulated nor have we received a copy of it to date. Moreover, three days after the aforementioned meeting on 08/03/2023, you issued a statement welcoming the president’s approval of the initiative.

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

We deem it not only a right, but also a duty of all those concerned with the justice sector to come together on a shared vision against the justice crisis in our country, as well as exchange opinions regarding the most effective mechanisms to achieve that, discuss all initiatives to agree on a unified vision regarding the justice crisis and the best solution for it. Thus, we reiterate our request, as we are committed to providing you with our opinion, in writing, regarding the initiative and plan referred to in the statement, and circulating it to all partners (unions/organizations) and citizens as soon as we receive it and duly examine it. This will promote joint work between us, and serve our shared goal of a society where justice prevails and rights and freedoms are preserved. A society that upholds the constitutional principle entailed in Article (26) of the Basic Law which guarantees the right to participate in shaping the present and future of our people, and the key to achieving all that is an efficient and fair justice system.

Sincerely,

Ahlam Tarayra

Executive Director

13/03/2023