[legal-professionals] International conference " Supporting and Promoting the Judicial Independence" (Cairo, 21-24 February 2003)

Dear Friends,

The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Profession 
organizes an International conference entitled " Supporting and Promoting 
the Judicial Independence" .

The conference is organized by the center in cooperation with the United 
Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Office of  High 
Commissioner for Human (OHCHR).

The center has published a website that include the details of the 
conference (Themes, participant countries, organizing bodies, and donors).

For further information please visit : www.jc-2.com



For more information Contact:
Mr.Nasser Amin
Secretary General
The Arab Center for the Independence
of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP)
  8/10 Mathaf El-Manial ST.,
Manial El-Roda, Cairo
Egypt
  Tel.:         (202) 3620732
Tel.&Fax: (202) 5310027


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The Second  Justice Conference

Towards Supporting and promoting the independence of the judiciary

Cairo, Egypt

21-24 February 2003

The close relationship between the independence, the democratic rule of
law system, justice, political stability, and human rights protection,
highlights the importance of  an independent judiciary, which will be a
tool to develop powerful economics An independent judiciary, free from
political interference, is a crucial feature of a justice system which
protects human rights and the rule of law.

To promote these efforts, the Centre decided to convene a number of
justice conferences.  

The first of these justice conferences was entitled "The judiciary in the
Arab Region and 21st century challenges"(Beirut 14-16 July 1999) This
conference was organized by the Center in cooperation with the Center of
the Independence of Judges and Lawyers in Geneva, and the Bar Association
in Buerit under the auspices of the Lebanese Minister for Justice
Mr.Gozief Shaoal.

The conference was the first gathering in which members of the judiciary
from the Arab region, numerous jurists (110 governmental and
non-governmental participants), and political scientists and sociologists
joined together to dialogue on this topic.     

The conference produced the Beirut Declaration and achieved some important
objectives consistent with the goals of the Centre. For example, the
conference: 

        Produced a covenant [that analyzed the reality of judicial status
cross the Arab world at the end of twentieth century.  

        Discussed the most important challenges faced by the judiciary in
the Arab region and possible ideal solutions.

Examined the major experiments in the Arab regions that the challenges
they face.  

The second justice conference, "Supporting and Promoting the Independence
of Judiciary" will be held in Cairo from 22-24 February 2003 at the Conrad
Hotel. 

The concept of the independence of the judiciary is not merely of domestic
significance. It is also an important requirement at international law in
those instruments relating to justice and human rights. Although the
concept of judicial independence has been declared as an international
principle, the diversity of countries legal and political systems have
created difficulties concerning a single definition what constitutes such
independence.

 The Arab countries adopted the judicial independence idea and
acknowledged the principle of separation among  powers, as well as it
stated many of these principles in its constitutional documents

The various Arab constitutional systems differ on definition of judicial
independence from the scientific and legislative perspectives

 Current events indicate the deterioration of judicial independence in
some Arab countries either by the direct or indirect intervention of the
executive authority, the failure to implement the judicial provisions in
legislation, or by the intervention of the legislative authority. There
are also a number of Arab countries who fail to comply with their
international obligations concerning guaranteeing the independence of the
judiciary.

In this context, the Centre will hold the second justice conference with
the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Office of United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR).

The conferences will discuss the following:

        The main paper will focus on the independence of the judiciary in
the Arab world; 

        Other papers will examine comparative models that guarantee the
independence of judicial authority (Europe and France as case studies):

        Guarantees for the independence of individual judges (using the
example from the Asian experience).

        The role of Societal institutions in promoting justice. 

        The conformity of Arab legislation with international instruments,
in particular:

-         The status of the independence of the Judiciary in Arab
countries (North and South Africa).

-         The status of Judicial Independence in the Arab Gulf Region.

-         The independence of the judiciary and separation of power in
Sham countries (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine).

 The opening session and the reception will be held at the Egyptian
Journalist Association, Friday February 21, 2003 and the conference will
be held from 22-24 February at the Conrad hotel in Cairo.

The conference aims to explore the status of the independence of the
judiciary in the Arab region. It will further examine the requirements of
an independent judiciary at international law in order to draft a covenant
of independence through which progress regarding independence of the
judiciary in the Arab region can be measured and followed up. It is
expected that a wide range of legal and diplomatic representatives will
attend from more than 30 countries (America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and
Africa), as well as representatives from the media and international and
regional non-governmental organizations concerned with justice and human
rights.