Ref: 33/2013

On Sunday, 12 May 2013, the
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) concluded the second training course
this year for young lawyers in the field of litigation before Sharia courts.
The 15-hour training course was organized PCHR’s head office in Gaza City in
the period 5 – 12 May 2013,  and 34
lawyers participated in it.

The training programme for this course
has several topics including: introduction to the Sharia judiciary; code of sharia procedures law; inheritances; personal status law; and instruments and documentations. The training course was facilitated by Ms. Hanan
Matter and Mr. Samir Hasanyeh,  lawyers
in PCHR Woman’s Right Unit of., and from outside the centre, Dr.  Saeed Abu al-Jabeen, a Supreme Sharia Court
judge.

At his concluding speech, Dr. Saed Abu
al-Jabeen thanked PCHR for its efforts to develop the capabilities and
knowledge of lawyers who are interested in obtaining a license to
practice the legal profession in Sharia courts.  At the end of his speech, Dr.Abu al-Jabeen
called upon the participants to do their best and invited them to visit the
Sharia courts.

In the same context, Mr. Bassam al-Aqra,
Director of the training unit in the PCHR, stressed in his speech the close
relationship between lawyers and human rights since the common attribute
between a lawyer and a human rights defender is to raise the victims’ voice and
help them get their rights. At the end of his speech, Mr. al-Aqraa called the
lawyers not to hesitate to knock PCHR doors ifor everything they need,
especially as the centre has a rich library in the field of law and human
rights.

Mr. Samir Hasnyeh explained that this kind of
courses acquire special importance that it is the second course for this year
to be held for young lawyers in the Gaza Strip in a field of litigation before Sharia
courts, especially as lawyers who wish to litigatebefore Sharia
courts are required to pass the test which is intended to be hold during this
month.

The participants appreciated the
distinguished role that PCHR plays to disseminate the culture of human rights
and the rule of law among young lawyers, and they emphasized the uniqueness of
the course in its rich subjects which will be reflected positively on their
professional practice.  Tthey also
praised the efficient trainers and their various and interactive training
procedures which were used during the course, and explained that the effective
participation and the discussion that prevailed in the training sessions
contributed in the enrichment of the
course. At the end of the day, certificates were distributed to participants in
this course.

It is worth
mentioning that PCHR organized a similar course in its sub-office in Khan Yunis
in the period 29 April – 6 May 2013, in which 34 trainees Participated.