From 10 to 13 May 2017, the IRZ organised a study visit to Berlin for five representatives of the criminal procedure reform commission from the Tunisian Ministry of Justice. The trip took place within the framework of the institutional funding provided by the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV).
The reform of the code of criminal procedure is currently one of the biggest projects in the Tunisian justice system. In many cases, the extremely lengthy investigation process in this country leads to delays throughout criminal proceedings. Particularly when it comes to major and important cases, proceedings can take years.
For the Tunisian guests, therefore, this was a chance to get to know the German code of procedure and how it works and to work out any potential points of reference for the reforms in Tunisia.
In this context, the delegation was welcomed to expert talks at the BMJV, the focus being on the criminal investigation process and criminal proceedings in courts of law. During another meeting at the Public Prosecutor General’s Office in Berlin, the discussions dealt in more detail with the role of public prosecutors in the investigation process. International cooperation and the fight against terrorism were also discussed at the Public Prosecutor General's Office.
During exchanges with their German colleagues, the Tunisian guests were given a deep insight into the way the courts and public prosecutors work in Germany.
The IRZ and the BMJV will continue to support the reform efforts in the Tunisian justice system and provide advisory services.
On 6 February 2017, the Parliamentary Secretary of State at the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV), Christian Lange (MdB), and the Minister of Justice for the Republic of Tunisia, Ghazi Jeribi, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on legal cooperation and a work schedule for 2017 and 2018 in Tunis. This will strengthen the existing cooperation between Tunisia and Germany in the field of law. The IRZ will be responsible for carrying out the specific measures involved in this cooperation.
As part of the international legal cooperation between the IRZ and the Tunisian Ministry of Justice, IRZ Managing Director Veronika Keller-Engels and the Legal Advisor for North Africa and the Middle East, Mohamed Montasser Abidi, visited Tunisia on 25 and 26 May 2016. They were received by the Tunisian Minster of Justice, Omar Mansour, during the third round of talks between the German and Tunisian governments.
The meeting was to discuss the ongoing cooperation programme between the Tunisian Ministry of Justice and the IRZ. The programme covers several subjects and involves people from various legal professions, such as judges, lawyers and notaries. An important part of the cooperation programme is the established partnership with the prison authorities.
Minister of Justice Mansour expressed his wish to extend this partnership to cover more subjects and include more members of the legal profession. He also talked about how important it is to continue bringing the administration of justice up to date and for the positive experiences that have taken place until now to be developed in other areas of the law.
The Minister of Justice expressed his desire to include the new measures taken so far by the Ministry of Justice for supporting a humane penal system and probation services in the cooperation programme with the IRZ. One of these measures is open prisons for young offenders, enabling the inmates to continue their education and therefore improve their personal circumstances.
During their visit to Tunisia, the IRZ delegation also met Sabeur Khefifi, the Director General of the prison authorities. This meeting was about the cooperation between the IRZ and the Tunisian authorities, both at a bilateral level and within the framework of a twinning project supported by the EU. The future of the partnership, which will be developed in accordance with the reform plan over the years to come, was also addressed.
Veronika Keller-Engels and Mohamed Montasser Abidi also met with the first President of the Administrative Court, Abdelsalam Mehdi Grissiaa. This meeting dealt with how the Administrative Court can implement the reforms, which are firmly embedded in the new Tunisian constitution, and how the IRZ can support these reform efforts, which go hand in hand with the profound changes to the administration of justice in Tunisia.