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On Wednesday 20/11/2024, Treatment and Rehabilitation Center
for Victims of Torture, in cooperation with The Civil Commission for the
independence of Judiciary and Rule of Law- ISTIQLAL, held a round-table
discussion entitled "The role of the judiciary in monitoring and holding
accountable perpetrators of torture" at the Centre's headquarters in El
Bireh.
The debate aimed to highlight the importance of the judicial
role in combating torture and to strengthen oversight and accountability within
domestic and international legal standards. Many official bodies were in
attendance such as the judiciary, the public prosecutor's office, lawyers and
civil society organizations. Her Excellency Judge Duaa Qioui, representative of
the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, Colonel Mu' ed Wahdan, representative of
the Family Protection Police and representatives of civil society
organizations.
TRC General Director Dr. Khader Rasras welcomed the
attendees and opened the discussion, followed by an intervention by Majid
Al-Arouri, Executive Director of the Civil Commission for the Independence of
the Judiciary, and Lawyer Musa Abu Dheim, Head of Programmes at the Independent
Human Rights Commission, reviewed the main findings of the "Istiqlal"
report on the role of judges in combating torture, especially when considering
and extending arrest requests.
The presentation addressed important issues, including the
seizure of allegations of torture, the recording of the results of the
examinations in the records of the seizure, the referral to forensic medicine
of torture plaintiffs with obvious effects, and the importance of ordering the
investigation of these allegations based on documented findings.
The meeting witnessed a lively dialogue among participants
on ways to strengthen the role of judges in monitoring arrests by the Public
Prosecutor's Office and to ensure compliance with national laws and
international standards against torture.
In conclusion, participants stressed the importance of
continuing to hold such events to raise awareness and promote judicial
practices that protect human dignity and ensure justice and accountability.
