A judge (Ghassan Rabah) presiding a section in the Supreme Court (Court of Cassation), and a member of the Supreme Judicial Council, is accused of negotiating a bribery. The evidence against him is a recording of his voice whilst negotiating the value of the bribery. What makes this even more critical is that the judge in question is a university professor, a social and human rights’ activist and the author of several publications on Amnesty laws, drugs, juveniles … Mr. Rabah has also participated in drafting law proposals related to social issues, of which a draft law on street children.
It seems that by accepting the judge’s resignation, the Council is determined to bring the matter to an end, regardless of any accountability. Accordingly, no charges were filed, in line with a previously set practice of covering up scandals. However, a number of judges drafted a petition calling for accountability. They were pressured not to pursue the petition on the basis of their obligation of discretion.
What is the Ministry of Justice position in this respect? What measures should be taken to deal with such a case? If the reform of the judiciary requires putting an end to such practices, what measures are necessary to break the code of silence? What is the role of intellectuals and lawyers in this respect?
For this end, the Legal Agenda organized a seminar entitled: ”An Ethical Crisis at the Top of the Judicial Hierarchy” with presentations by Judge Ghada Aoun, and Mr. Hassan Abbas (Umam for Research and Documentation) and moderated by Lawyer Nizar Saghieh (Legal Agenda).
For those who wish to read more about this issue (in Arabic):
- Ethical Crisis at the top of the judicial hierarchy (1/3) http://legal-agenda.com/article.php?id=79&folder=articles&lang=ar
- Ethical Crisis at the top of the judicial hierarchy (2/3) http://legal-agenda.com/article.php?id=81&folder=articles&lang=ar
- The report that was prepared by some of the judges, but was never signed: http://legal-agenda.com/newsarticle.php?id=74&folder=legalnews&lang=ar
- Link to the petition: http://legal-agenda.com/sites/default/files/images/articles/1330424208-Petition.pdf