Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 64621 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09BAGHDAD722, Judicial Training a Potential Change Agent for Iraq's Rule

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09BAGHDAD722.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09BAGHDAD722 2009-03-17 15:47 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Baghdad
VZCZCXRO1812
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0722 0761547
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171547Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2236
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000722 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI IZ
SUBJECT:  Judicial Training a Potential Change Agent for Iraq's Rule 
of Law 
 
1.   SUMMARY:  Speaking before the U.S. Embassy-hosted Rule of Law 
(ROL) Community Forum, the Dean of the Judicial Training Institute 
(JTI), created in the wake of the Baathist "bloodless revolution" of 
1968 as part of the Ministry of Justice, advocated increasing the 
institute's resources and updating its curriculum to increase 
professionalism within Iraq's legal community.  Dean Ahlam al-Jabiri 
spoke of the need to improve rehabilitation programs in prisons, 
overall security for Iraqi citizens, and sentencing guidelines.  She 
concluded that "the salvation of Iraq lies in the rule of law."  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
 
2.  Dean Ahlam al-Jabiri spoke to the ROL Community Forum March 11 
about the work of the Institute in preparing Iraqis to become judges 
and prosecutors.  The institute was originally created by Iraq's 
Revolutionary Command Council, she said, "based on the objectives of 
the nationalism and socialism of the July 17-30, 1968 revolution, in 
building a modern state with efficient scientific and technical 
services to safeguard the achievements of the revolution."   Its 
primary role today is to train entry-level judges and prosecutors. 
Candidates have to be lawyers or employees from one of the 
ministries and are usually associated with ministry legal offices. 
Students are paid salaries by the Ministry of Justice during the 
two-year training period, and provided residential facilities at the 
JTI if needed. The JTI also provides some continuing legal education 
for lawyers and in-service judges.   Anyone who fails to graduate is 
obligated to return all compensation received during the two 
educational years of the program.  Applicants must be graduates of 
an approved Iraqi law school, pass an entrance exam and interview, 
and have three years experience in practicing law or holding a 
law-related job in a government office to be admitted. 
 
3.  The curriculum is reviewed almost annually by the Governing 
Board of the JTI, which includes the Chief Judge or deputy of the 
Court of Cassation, Chief Prosecutor, and President of the Bar 
Association.  Courses address legal theory (philosophy of Islamic 
law, political sociology, research methods and legal writing) and 
practical study (civil and criminal procedure) in the first year. 
The second year of study includes classes on criminal investigation, 
forensic science and criminal psychology.  They anticipate adding a 
course on commercial law within the year. 
 
4.  Dr. al-Jabiri began the Forum presentation with an overview of 
the current status of law in Iraq. She applauded the separation of 
the Higher Judicial Council from the Ministry of Justice, saying a 
separation of power strengthens the judicial system.  She advocated 
fitting punishment to crime with a strict interpretation of law, so 
that sentencing guidelines would take into account whether a crime 
was intentional or unintentional, and objected to the idea of 
general amnesties.  Iraqi law calls for rehabilitation programs in 
prisons, she noted, but the corrections system in Iraq currently 
lacks both rehabilitation and post-incarceration services.  She 
concluded with slides showing that the JTI had suffered years of 
neglect, both in its physical structure and its resources.  The 
building has been renovated, but the library needs support. 
 
 
5.  COMMENT:  The need for improved legal education for entry-level 
judges and prosecutors and ongoing training in Iraq is great.  One 
means of addressing it will be the Judicial Education and 
Development Institute (JEDI), a professional development institute 
for judges, attorneys and court officials, which will begin classes 
Qfor judges, attorneys and court officials, which will begin classes 
later this year.  JEDI is to be administered by the Higher Judicial 
Court with technical support from the Department of State's Bureau 
of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL). The 
INL-supported JEDI program will focus on instruction in both 
substantive areas of the law and technical training for judges, 
prosecutors and court administrators.  It is hoped that this new 
facility and improvements in existing institutions, such as those of 
Dr. al-Jabiri, will advance Iraq's rule of law toward greater 
professionalism and modern judicial and court administration 
practices.  END COMMENT. 
 
Butenis