Advisory Council discusses draft laws on judiciary

At the outset of the meeting, the council reviewed the report prepared by its Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee on the following laws related to the judiciary, which was a task requested by the council to the committee in order to study the matter further:*Draft law amending certain provisions of the judiciary law promulgated by Law No 10 of 2003.*Draft law amending some provisions of the civil and commercial pleadings law promulgated by Law No 13 of 1990.*Draft law amending certain provisions of Law No 12 of 2005 regarding cases and procedures of appeal to Court of Cassation in non-criminal articles.*Draft law amending certain provisions of Law No 19 of 2008 to determine blood money for manslaughter.*Draft law amending some provisions of Law No 10 of 2002 regarding the Public Prosecution.*Draft law amending certain provisions of the criminal procedure law promulgated by Law No 23 of 2004.*Draft Law on conciliation and reconciliation centres in civil and commercial disputes.The Speaker initiated the members deliberations on those drafts laws, explaining that it came as an implementation of the directives of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani which were mentioned at the opening of the 46th ordinary session of the Advisory Council.The directives stress the importance of work on developing the justice systems, ensuring the independence of the judiciary, to not prolong litigation, which recognises the importance of justice, ensures the development of the judicial system and strengthens its ability to cope with the rapid developments witnessed by our society in all fields, as well as taking the necessary measures to provide all possibilities to do so.He said while deliberating on the draft laws, the Council listened to the explanations of HE the Minister of Justice and reviewed the recommendations of the Supreme Judiciary Council.HE al-Mahmoud said the draft laws reflect a great development in the path of the judicial system in the country and added to building its independent judiciary and justice to facilitate litigation.He added that it comes as part of the legislative and legal development in the country to cope with the economic, social and urban boom, which are based on the religious justice inherited from older generations.HE al-Mahmoud explained that justice, integrity, the realisation of the right and the support of the oppressed are deeply rooted in the Qatari society and have remained the core principles of the State since its establishment by its Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani.The members of the Council had a wideranging discussion on the proposed draft laws, where they expressed their views and confirmed the importance of developing the judiciary work and in reconciling the laws, especially those with direct relation with the lives of citizens and their jobs.They also stressed on making litigation easier, faster and more efficient as slow justice is a kind of injustice, as the Emir said in his speech addressing the Council.The draft laws added numerous articles to the development of the judiciary, speeding up cases and, in addition, establishing conciliation and reconciliation centres in civil and commercial disputes with the aim of settling disputes through conciliation in an optional and free manner.In addition to the draft laws related to the work of the judiciary, the Council also reviewed the report of the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee on a draft law on the national system for the accounting and control of nuclear materials, which included the committee's work to inventory and control nuclear materials whether used or produced in all activities.Regarding the danger of these materials on humans and the environment, some of the provisions of the draft law provided for deterrent penalties against those who contravene its provisions and to co-ordinate them with the International Atomic Energy Agency.In light of that, the Council decided to submit its recommendations on all these draft laws to the esteemed government.At the end of the meeting, the Advisory Council received a report on the participation of its delegation in the Nato PA Joint Seminar of the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group (GSM) and the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Defense and Security Cooperation (DSCTC), held in Rome, Italy.The Council also reviewed another report on its delegation's participation in the 22nd session of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union Executive Committee in Morocco.