UK launches second phase of judiciary training for Erbil judges

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Judges in the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil on Sunday began the second phase of training supervised by the United Kingdom to foster the autonomous Kurdish region’s justice system.

In late January, the UK Consulate General in Erbil announced the Judicial Development Program for judges in the Kurdistan Region’s capital Erbil, where they would receive training in justice and security.

The newly launched phase of the program includes “best practices of investigative techniques,” such as mobile phone analysis and the gathering of digital evidence, Melanie Smart, acting UK Consul General, said in a speech to Kurdish judges, lawyers, and diplomats on Sunday.

The UK intends to include lawyers in its training for the Kurdish judicial authorities as well.

“We are expanding our program to work with defense lawyers in recognition [that] they are an integral part of a high-quality justice system,” Smart said.

Currently, the program includes judges from the capital, but it will be expanded, according to the British diplomat, saying “we recognize the threat criminals pose to the whole region.”

The program is part of the UK-Kurdistan Region partnership, which Smart said was “strong, historical, and long lasting.”

The UK and the Kurdish region of Iraq have worked for many years to counter crimes in order to make both places safer, she said.

In early July, Smart in an exclusive interview with Kurdistan 24 outlined her country’s approach and policy towards the Kurdistan Region.

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