Iraq Has First Criminal Hearings

Via The Agonist: Iraqi courts reopen is a reuters article discussing the first criminal trials in post Saddam Iraq. Iraq's 1969 criminal law is being used, minus new laws which make criminal acts such as insulting the President.

According to the U.N. Development Programme: Programme of Governance in the Arab Region, Iraqi Law is a hybrid of Islamic law, Constitutional law & legislation and statuatory law based on Shi’a and Sunni legal principles.

Perhaps the experience of Kosovo, which I linked to in Rebuilding Iraq's Legal System, concerning the urgency of restoring law and order has been a source of learning for how to do 'nation building' better. Regardless, this looks like pretty positive news.

22 August 2003 Update: New Legal Environment in Iraq

Posted by Paul at May 9, 2003 04:15 AM |
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