Professor Brett G. Scharffs, Associate Director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies, Britham Young University, presented the paper “The Right of Fair Trial and Independence of Judiciary in Iraq” at the International Symposium “Human Rights and Justice in Iraq,” held in Istanbul, Turkey 23-24 May 2013.

Among the other international experts particiapting in the Symposium were Av. Necati Ceylan, Secretary-General of the International Union of Lawyers; Prof. Dr. Zekeriya Kurşun, Chairman of ORDAF; Av. Cavit Tatlı, Chairman of Lawyers Association; Prof. Dr. M. Refik Korkusuz, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Yeni Yüzyıl University; and Prof. Dr. H. Hüsnü Gündüz, Rector of Yeni Yüzyıl University, who gave the opening speeches, followed by the presentation of Prof. Dr. Ahmet Davutoğlu – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, who spoke to the subject “Iraq in Turkey’s Foreign Policy as a Multi-Dimensional Factor”.  

In a session chaired by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kavas and titled “Political and Social Structure in Iraq Yapi” were the following presenters: 

Dr. Zaid Abdul-Wahab İsmail – Journalist at Baghdad Channel – Iraq, topic “Ethnicity, Religious Sects and Civil Society in Iraq
Prof. Dr. Samir Salha – Kocaeli University – Turkey, topic “Iraq Constitution in the Context of the Middle East Constitutional Developments”
Dr. Zaid Abdul-Wahab İsmail – Journalist at Baghdad Channel – Iraq, topic “Ethnicity, Religious Sects and Civil Society in Iraq”
Dr. Abdulrahman Muhammed Sayed – Lawyer – Egypt, topic “Democracy within the Party and Political Stability in Iraq”
Abdulwahab al-Gasab, topic “Administrative and political structure in Iraq after 2003 and the role of Neocons”
Prof. Dr. Walid Elgohary – Member of Accounting Center – Egypt, topic “Impact of the Arab Spring to Iraq”

In a session chaired by Prof. Dr. Emrah Cengiz and devoted to the topic “Human Rights and Human Rights Violations in Iraq” were the following participants:

Dr. Mohammed Al-Daini – Former Member of Parliament and Activist – Iraq, topic “Unlawful practices set forth for political purposes”
Prof. Dr. May Abdullah– Lebanon University – Lebanon. topic “Media and Human Rights in Iraq”
Dr. Sabah Yaseen – Alsharg Alawsat University – Jordan, topic “Condition of Iraqi Media in New Repressive Regime”
Khaled Alizzi – Human Rights Association – Iraq, topic “The harsh attitude of Iraqi government against demonstrations: Huveyce Massacre Case”
Dr. Abd El Hamid Mohammed Abd El Hamid – Beni Suef University – Egypt, topic “War Crimes in Iraq”

Prof. Dr. Emrullah İşler chaired the session “Comparison of Human Rights in Iraq with International Law”:

Dr. Abdulhameed Majeed Ismael – Istanbul University – Turkey, “Attitude of National and International Organizations against Human Rights Violations in Iraq”
Dr. Tarek Chindeb – Lawyer – Lebanon, “The Role of the International Criminal Court on Human Rights Violations in Iraq”
Vedud Fevzi Şemsuddin –Lawyer – Iraq, “The Role of the International Criminal Court and International Law for the Judgement of Human Rights Crimes”
Prof. Dr. Peter Shirlow – Queen’s University – Ireland, “Internal and External Factors in the Occurrence of the Iraqi Crisis”
Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kaya – Istanbul University – Turkey, “International Law and Justice in Iraq War”

The second day of the conference opened with an address by Dr. Tarık Hashimi – Vice President of the Republic of Iraq: “Iraq before and after the occupation in National and International Context”

A session chaired by Prof. Dr. Serdar Bedii Omay discussed “Analyis of Freedom of Belief in the Frame of Human Rights in Iraq”, with the following presenters:

Prof. Dr. İsmail Bamarni – Dahok University – Iraq, “Positive Effects of Religious Institutions against Violations of Rights in Iraq”
Sabah Barkho – Historian – Iraq, “Human Rights Violations against Christians in Iraq”
Prof. Dr. Muhammed Ayyash El Kubaisy, “Program of ethnic cleansing against Sunnis in Iraq”
Dr. Aveen Khaled Abdurrahman – Dahok University – Iraq, “Comparing of Freedom of Religion and Practice in the Iraqi Constitution with the Universal Law”
Abdulwahab Ahmed Al-Samarrai, “Opression against of Sunni Civil Society Organisations in Iraq”

The session chaired by Prof. Dr. Yaşar Hacısalihoğlu discussed “The Right to a Fair Trial under International Law”:

Doç. Dr. Murat Yanık  – Istanbul University – Turkey, “Fair Trial Rights in Iraq in the Light of Comparative Law and International Standards”
Prof. Dr. David Pimentel – Ohio Northern University – United States, “Independence of the Judiciary and the Role of the Islamic Shari’a in Iraq”
Salim Şehri – Union of International Muslim Lawyers – Saudi Arabia, “Fair Trial in Islamic Law”
Naji Haraj – Switzerland, “Iraqi Jurisdiction with respect to International Judicial”

Salih Murat chaired the session “Fair Trial Problem in Iraq”:

Prof. Dr. Brett Scharffs – Brigham Young University– United States, “The Right of Fair Trial and Independence of Judiciary in Iraq”
Muhammed bin Dımyan el-Uneyzi – Lawyer – Saudi Arabia, “The Criminal Trial Process of Saudi Arabia Citizens in Iraq”
Doç. Dr. Waadi Süleyman – Dahok University – Iraq, “A Look at the Death Penalty within the framework of Right to Fair Trial in Iraqi Legislation”
Mubarek Mutavva – Lawyer – Kuwait, “The Case of Tariq Hashimi Trial within the framework of Fair Trial in Iraq”
Moayed Alizzy – Lawyer – Iraq, “Presentation of Hashimi Case”

The Symposium concluded with a Negotiation and Final Declaration.