Palestinian Bar Association Issues Statement Regarding Amendments to Court Fee Schedule
The Palestinian Bar Association has issued a statement concerning the recent amendments to the judicial fee schedule approved by the Council of Ministers. Below is the full text of the statement:
Following the meeting between the Head and members of the Jerusalem Center Council of the Palestinian Bar Association and His Excellency Minister of Justice Dr. Mohammad Al-Shalaldeh - appointed by the Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh - along with the Director-General of the Independent Commission for Human Rights Dr. Ammar Dwaik, during which:
1-The Bar Association presented its firm rejection of the Council of Ministers' decision to amend the regular courts' fee schedule
2-The negative impacts of this decision on citizens' right to access justice and civil peace were discussed
3-The Independent Commission conveyed the position of other civil society institutions opposing the decision for the same reasons
In light of the initiative by His Excellency the Minister of Justice to present the positions of both the Bar Association and the Independent Commission during the Council of Ministers' session scheduled for Monday, June 27, 2022 - with the aim of withdrawing the decision and canceling its effects retroactively from its issuance date - and his commitment to contact the President of the Supreme Judicial Council to prevent its implementation during the coming Sunday and Monday, the Bar Council has decided:
• To suspend all planned protest activities that were scheduled prior to this meeting
• To maintain continuous sessions until receiving the Council of Ministers' decision regarding the withdrawal of the aforementioned amendment
This decision comes in appreciation of this initiative and reaffirms the commitment to dialogue as the preferred approach.
Issued on: June 25, 2022
The Council of the Palestinian Bar Association