First batch of NE Syria judges interviewed for judicial integration
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Syria’s Ministry of Justice has completed interviews with the first group of judges from the Autonomous Administration as part of efforts to integrate northeastern Syria’s judicial system into the country’s unified judiciary, an official said on Wednesday.
Mustafa Abdi, a member of the presidential committee following the integration process, told North Press that 15 judges from the Autonomous Administration traveled to Damascus and appeared before a committee formed by Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais.
The interviews were conducted as part of procedures to incorporate the judges into Syria’s national judicial system.
“The interviews went well and were completed for all judges in the first group,” Abdi said, adding that a second group of about 35 judges is expected to travel to Damascus within a week to undergo the same process.
According to Abdi, the Autonomous Administration had previously submitted a list of 200 judges to the Ministry of Justice. After reviewing their files, the ministry approved around 100 candidates for individual interviews, which will be conducted in successive rounds.
Abdi said that once all interviews are completed, authorities will begin procedures to reopen the courthouses in Hasakah and Qamishli.
“I believe all the previous obstacles have now been resolved,” he said.
On July 4, the first group of judges had departed for Damascus for interviews with Justice Ministry officials, in what was seen as a breakthrough after repeated delays that had stalled the judicial integration process and postponed the reopening of courts in Hasakah Governorates.
In May, a legal source close to the Autonomous Administration told North Press that around 100 judges would undergo individual interviews in Damascus before being approved to serve within Syria’s unified judicial system.