Bahrain hosts Union of Arab Constitutional Courts and Councils conference

Under the patronage and support of His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa the meetings of the Union of Arab Constitutional Courts and Councils are held from 17 to 20 March 2013, with the participation of fifteen Arab countries, and in presence of representatives of the Venice Commission emanating from the European Union. In addition, there will be a number of relevant bodies to participate in the scientific forum under the title “Seigniory of Interpreting the Law.” The Head of the Constitutional Court, Counselor Salem Bin Mohammed Al Kawari stated that the aim of the conference, which will last for four days, is to highlight the role of the Constitutional Court in Kingdom of Bahrain in consolidating the principles of human rights and public freedoms. The Conference also aims at reinforcing the friendship relations, strengthens the scientific and constitutional ties among the members of the union, exchanging provisions, principles and the important information between them in their work. The Conference also aims at developing the legal culture, unifying the constitutional concepts and terminology in the Arab states, which their constitutions recognize the audit system on constitutionality of legislation by constitutional courts or constitutional councils. This is clearly indicated in the fourth article of the basic system of the union. The Courts Union and the Arab Constitutional Councils are considered a specialized regional and quality organization in the area of monitoring the constitutionality of laws, was founded in 1997, to be a regulatory framework that combines the constitutional courts and councils, as well as the existing bodies that monitor the constitutionality of laws in the Arab countries. The Constitutional Court in the Kingdom of Bahrain has joined the Union in the Fourth General Assembly, held in the Republic of the Sudan from 15 to 19 December 2003, so the members of the Union have become thirteen after Kingdom of Bahrain’s accession to the Constitutional Court. The opening ceremony of the Conference will be followed by the works of the scientific forum under the title “Seigniory of Interpreting the Law,” in a direct or indirect way, where the members and participants of the elite men of law will discuss all the issues related to the topic. The second day of the conference will be allocated for the convening of the council of the union, and the third day will be for the convening of the General Assembly of the union.