Today, the Lebanese University in Hadath witnessed a prominent judicial station with the first competition to select new judges in 8 years, with the participation of nearly 1,200 applicants, from whom approximately 45 judges will be initially selected, in a step that Minister of Justice Adel Nassar described as essential for renewing and activating the judicial body.
This came during an inspection tour conducted by Nassar to the entrance examination centers to the Institute of Judicial Studies, which was conducted this afternoon in the building of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the Lebanese University – Hadath, in the presence of the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Suhail Abboud, the Cassation Public Prosecutor, Judge Ahmed Rami Al-Hajj, and the President of the Lebanese University, Bassam Badran.
During his tour of the examination halls, Nassar stressed that “the only criteria for selection will be knowledge, competence, transparency, and objective criteria,” stressing that the process aims to select candidates on the basis of merit, independent of any other considerations.
Nassar said, “The Lebanese University received the entrance examination to the Institute of Judicial Studies, which is the first to select new judges in 8 years,” explaining that the examining committee and the Supreme Judicial Council came to the university headquarters since 5:45 a.m. to put the questions and ensure that they were not leaked, allowing the examinations to be conducted calmly, soberly, and with complete seriousness.
He considered that this step constitutes “fundamental progress towards renewing and revitalizing the judiciary,” especially after the interruption of new judges entering the institute over these years.
Nassar touched on the restoration and rehabilitation work that took place in the Judicial Studies Institute building to make it ready to receive students, in parallel with the modernization of programs in coordination with the French Institute of Judges, in addition to training teacher judges in France with the aim of developing curricula.
He explained that the new programs will include training on basic files and topics, including financial issues, human rights, and the philosophy of law, in addition to traditional subjects, such as obligations, contracts, and commercial and criminal law.
Nassar thanked the Chairman and members of the Supreme Judicial Council and the examining committee for their diligent follow-up, stressing the importance of keeping pace with all steps aimed at developing the judicial sector.
In a related context, he indicated that the investigations into the Beirut Port explosion had reached an advanced stage, pointing at the same time to the increase in productivity in the Baabda courts by rates ranging between 87% and 400%, depending on the sectors.
He also revealed the preparation of laws related to the independence of the judicial and administrative judiciary in preparation for referring them to the House of Representatives, noting the efforts of judges and lawyers who go to the trial hall in Roumieh Prison to speed up trials and process the accumulated files.
In response to journalists’ questions about the number of applicants and the results, Nassar explained that the number of students registered and taking the exams ranges between 1,000 and 1,200 students, while the number of those who are supposed to be initially selected is about 45 judges.
He reiterated that “the only criteria for selection are knowledge, eligibility, competence, transparency, and objective criteria.”
Regarding the date of issuing the indictment in the Beirut Port explosion case, Nassar explained that after the forensic investigator sealed the file and referred it to the Public Prosecution, it became clear after review that the work is expected to be completed during or at the end of October.
The competition to enter the Judicial Studies Institute comes after an 8-year hiatus from introducing new judges, at a time when the Supreme Judicial Council and the Ministry of Justice are working to provide the courts with new judicial personnel, in parallel with modernizing training mechanisms, qualifying the Judicial Studies Institute, and addressing the backlog of files before a number of courts.
