Baghdad: The Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Faiq Zidane, affirmed today, Monday, that the judiciary is a grave responsibility based on fairness and its spirit is justice. The Judicial Media stated in a statement that “the Judicial Institute organized a graduation ceremony for the 47th session, attended by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Faiq Zidane, the Vice-Presidents of the Federal Court of Cassation, a number of its judges, members of the Judicial Institute Council, and lecturers.”

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the statement added that “the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Council, in his speech at the ceremony, congratulated this great achievement, which crowns two years of diligence, perseverance, and intensive study within the confines of this venerable institution, which has been and will remain a source of preparation for judges and public prosecutors on solid foundations of knowledge, justice, and integrity.”

Zidane affirmed that “this day marks the beginning of a journey of great responsibility, based on fairness, with justice as its spirit and the law as its weapon.” He emphasized “the duty of judges to uphold rights, protect freedoms, and apply the law to all without favoritism or prejudice, as this is a task that can only be undertaken by those armed with competence, integrity, and courage.”

The President of the Supreme Judicial Council, according to the statement, advised the new judges to “fulfill their oath of justice and to be diligent in applying the law in a manner that pleases God. There is no authority over the judiciary except a living conscience and the law.”

The President of the Council expressed his “profound thanks and gratitude to the teaching and administrative staff at the Judicial Institute who have made efforts to prepare this elite group and instill in them the values of justice.”