NCFA organizes specialized workshop on the Witness and Reporting Persons Protection Draft By-law
06-26-2018
Deputized by the Public Security Director Major General Fadel AL-Hmoud, the Assistant Public Security Director for Judicial Affairs Brigadier General Walid Battah inaugurated a specialized workshop to discuss the draft by-law for the protection of witnesses and reporting persons.
During the workshop organized by NCFA in cooperation with UNICEF and the European Commission’s Project for the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX), Battah emphasized that by-law discussions complement efforts exerted by the relevant entities to introduce a family protection system through a professional and high-quality participatory work in line with Jordan’s commitment to international contractual obligations. Under these obligations, Jordan is committed to providing necessary legal protection for witnesses and reporting persons in family violence cases if subjected to any sort of threat.
On his part, NCFA’s Acting Secretary-General Mohammad Miqdady indicated that the preparation of the draft by-law (issued pursuant to the Protection against Family Violence Law No. 15 for the year 2017) is of great importance as it aims to address the gaps, hindrances and impacts that might affect witnesses or reporters of family violence cases which may prevent them from reporting or testifying. It is this particular purpose that necessitates the enactment of a special legislation that would protect witnesses, reporting persons and those around them.
As Miqdady added “the endorsement of this bylaw will effectively help scale up the level of services offered by the relevant entities to sustain family stability which is the cornerstone of society”.
The bylaw, as Midady pointed out, was prepared by NCFA in cooperation with UNICEF and national institutions and bodies including the Judicial Council, the Government Coordinator for Human Rights’ Office, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Justice, Public Security Directorate/Family Protection Department, MIZAN Law Group for Human Rights, Jordan Society for Protecting Family Violence Victims, Jordanian Women’s Union, Penal Reform International (PRI) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
“The endorsement of this by-law will help promote confidence in justice”, said Paula Jacks, an international expert in this field, noting that Jordan is a pioneer in the area of childhood and family affairs
