Palestinian Judge Quits Over New Law

[barb162]

Friday 14 October 2005, 6:09 Makka Time, 3:09 GMT


PA President Abbas gave powers to politicians to appoint judges


Palestinian Chief Justice Zuhair al-Surani has quit in protest at legislation which he says allows political interference in the nomination of new judges.


snip

Under the old law, new judges were appointed to the bench by presidential decree after being nominated by a panel of nine senior judges.

snip

Palestinian and human rights organisations have long complained about the intervention by officials and security services in the work of judges in Gaza and the West Bank.

Al-Surani was a target of the security chaos in Gaza two months ago when unknown attackers detonated explosive devices outside his house and that of Attorney-General Hussein Abu Asi. They were unharmed. No reason was given for the attacks.


Reuters
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F2A4C358-CA15-4F9E-B490-5E52FFFADE9E.htm