Law by Decree No. 16 of 2019 Concerning the Amendment of the Law on the Judicial Authority No. 1 of 2002

Law by Decree No. 16 of 2019

Concerning the Amendment of the Law on the Judicial Authority No. 1 of 2002

The President of the State of Palestine

The Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation

In reference of the provisions of the Bylaw of the Palestine Liberation Organisation,

The provisions of the Amended Basic Law of 2003, as amended, particularly the provisions of Article 43 thereunder,

Having reviewed the provisions of the Law on the Judicial Authority No. 1 of 2002,

Having reviewed the provisions of the Law on the Formation of Regular Courts No. 5 of 2001, as amended,

Based upon the recommendations of the National Committee on the Justice Sector Development, chaired by the President of the High Court, Chairman of the High Judicial Council,

The powers vested in me by law, and

In pursuance of the public interest,

I hereby promulgate the following Law by Decree:

Article 1

For the purposes of introducing this amendment, the Law on the Judicial Authority No. 1 of 2002 shall be referred to as the Original Law.

Article 2

Article 20 of the Original Law shall be amended so as to become as follows:

1. To be appointed as President or Vice President of the High Court, one shall be required to have worked in the formal judicial system or in both the formal judicial system and the legal profession, or have worked as a lawyer for no less than fifteen years.

2. To be appointed as a judge of the High Court or Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeals, one shall be required to have worked in the formal judicial system or Public Prosecution, or in both the formal judicial system and the legal profession, or have worked as a lawyer for no less than ten years.

Article 3

Paragraph 1 of Article 34 of the Original Law shall be amended so as to become as follows:

1. The service of a judge shall terminate, de jure, when he completes sixty year of age.

Article 4

All provisions that contradict the provisions of this Law by Decree shall be repealed.

Article 5

All the competent authorities, each one within its sphere of jurisdiction, shall implement the provisions of this Law by Decree and shall enter into force as of date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

Promulgated in the city of Ramallah on July 15^th, 2019 Anno Domini,

Corresponding to Thu al-Qi’dah 12^th, 1440 Anno Hegira.

Mahmoud Abbas

President of the State of Palestine

Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation