Annual Legal Aid Conference of Qatar University Discusses Legal Aid System and its Challenges

Doha, March 10 (QNA) - The College of Law at Qatar University (QU) organized on Thursday a press conference to announce the Legal Aid Conference. The topic of legal aid was chosen, given its importance and its creative role, which makes it a means to reach the light of justice, to apply justice among litigants, and this is evident in legal aid for vulnerable groups in society. Legal rights for vulnerable groups; Limited entry holders. The Dean of the College of Law Dr. Muna Al-Marzouqi stated that the aim of the conference is seeking to shed light on the legal aid system, by posing five problems related to its subject, the first: What is the concept of legal aid and whether it is limited to criminal cases or does it include civil and administrative issues and personal status, and second: What are the rules that determine a persons right to obtain legal aid On legal aid, is it advisable to include it in a comprehensive independent law or is the legislative framework limited to raising the issue in separate laws and the third: who provides legal aid, if the lawyer is entrusted with doing this, what about legal aides, legal clinics and other elements Civil society, fourth: What is the body or body that regulates legal aid, determine who has the right to obtain it, and indicate the necessary procedures for this, and fifth: How can we face challenges in implementing the legal aid system, especially by reconciling traditional rules in the practice of the legal profession with international principles Expanding the provision of legal aid to vulnerable groups. The Legal Aid Conference aims to discuss all relevant legal elements with regard to legal aid, including concepts, terminology and principles that have been adopted in local and comparative laws, Spread the general culture about the importance of legal aid in society and its role in enhancing the right of individuals to legal support, Analyzing the texts of Qatari legislation with regard to legal aid and proposing amending these legislation or adopting new legislation, encouraging government agencies, law firms and everyone involved in legal work to adopt legal aid. For his part, Mohammed Alkaabi, Lecturer of Private Law pointed to the importance of the conference, and its role in enhancing the legal skills of stakeholders, lawyers and students, as well as its importance in developing the role of educational institutions in achieving this constitutional right, related to legal aid, for all members of society. He pointed out that the College of Law at Qatar University owns the first legal clinic in the Gulf that provides free services, whether in terms of awareness or serving individuals, in addition to that it seeks to develop students' skills through their work in legal aid under the supervision of a faculty member and a lawyer. (QNA)