UNAMI Human Rights Office holds first roundtable on criminal justice in Ninewa, establishes Ninewa Human Rights and Justice network

The roundtable is the first of many forums that will take place in the coming months on justice-related issues in the Governorate.

UNAMI HRO also announced the establishment of the Ninewa Human Rights and Justice Network. This network of lawyers, civil society activists, social workers and representatives of the Mosul Bar Association will examine human rights issues related to the administration of justice, including due process concerns in Ninewa Governorate.

Earlier in the week, Chief Human Rights Office Ms. Danielle Bell and her team visited the Governorate of Ninewa, where she met in Mosul with Judge Salem Mohamed Nouri, the chief of Federal Cassation Court in Ninewa where they discussed issues related to human rights and administration of justice and the challenges that post -ISIL phase have on the judiciary.

Ms. Danielle stated that a priority for the judiciary was their own safety so that they can effectively carry out their duties.

Ms. Bell also stressed the role of UNAMI in supporting accountability for those who were responsible for crimes against humanity, maintaining transparency and fairness to those who are detained and tried before the courts in Iraq. Meaningful accountability is fundamental to addressing the crimes of the past, enabling societies to recover from the legacy of terror.