The recent training in Qatar will help improve Nepal’s legal system,
the country’s attorney general tells Usha Wagle Gautam
A Nepalese prosecution team led by Attorney General Babu Ram Kunwar was in Qatar recently to know more about its laws and legal procedures. Community caught up with Kunwar about the visit.
Your visit has been well-received by Qatari officials. Can you elaborate about your current visit?
We came to Qatar to know more about the country’s legal system. In July, Qatar’s Attorney General Dr Ali Bin Fetais al-Marri visited Nepal and invited us to visit his country.
During this visit, we learnt a lot about modern techniques and skills employed by Qatar for criminal investigations. There are almost four hundred thousand Nepalese working in Qatar. So, our visit holds a great significance and strengthens the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
What are the legal procedures of Qatar you are more focused on learning during this visit?
We are learning about various legal systems and conditions of the country. We are learning about the modern criminal investigation techniques employed in Qatar. I would like to praise Qatari judicial system, from which our country can follow more about its procedures, skills and techniques.
These days, contraband, cross-border and technology-driven crimes are posing new challenges to Nepal. We have realised that traditional and conventional judicial processes have proven inadequate to combat such crimes. We have, therefore, pursued a policy of cooperating with other countries to address the current challenges.
We are currently modernising our criminal justice system. Training programmes such as this can be a great platform for the two countries to share their experiences related to judiciary. Along with this, we are also learning about methods to combat corruption.
Who among your team members is visiting Qatar? Did Nepal’s attorneys make such visits prior to this one?
We are 10 people, including deputy attorney generals Rajendra Subedi and Badri Prasad Gautam, joint attorney Gopal Prasad Rijal, deputy attorneys Daneshwor Poudel, Kul Prasad Pandey and Madan Bahadur Dhami, Ganga Prasad Poudel, Surendra Prasad Shrestha and Sarita Rayemajhi. This visit is the first of its kind. We expect to make more of such visits to various countries across the world, because they will help us improve our legal system.
Which agencies and officials have you visited and met in Qatar?
We have visited Qatari Public Prosecution and Qatar Foundation Faculty of Islamic Studies where we learnt more about the relationship between Sharia’h and national legislation in the Qatari judicial system.
In Qatar Foundation, we met with faculty students and learnt how law education is being delivered in the country. Likewise, we visited the Museum of Islamic Arts, Qatari courts, Criminal Evidence Department and Crime Scene Department. We met the officials of those departments. I personally met with the President of the Court of Cassation and the Chairman of the Supreme Judiciary Council HE Masood Mohamed al-Amri and discussed the various aspects of cooperation and coordination on legal and judicial spheres between the two countries.
I also met Attorney General Dr Ali Fetais al-Marri and during the visit we exchanged our views on mutual concerns and on strengthening judicial and legal cooperation between the two countries. We also discussed about the prospects of mutual cooperation by expertise exchange and training.
What were the trainings provided by the Qatari prosecution to your team? Are there any training session scheduled from your side?
The first day’s training was with Dr Hassan Akour, professor of law and former dean of the faculty of law at Qatar University and students Khawla al-Hamaad and Haya al-Kaabi. During the training, we learnt about the law education in Qatar and also about the various stages of judicial processes, levels of courts and judicial independence from Magdi Masoud, Judge in the Court of Cassation.
Firas Sabbir Ahmed, Head of International Relations at Qatar Public Prosecution, gave insights on Qatari public prosecution, its history and role. The next day, Mariam El Arab, Head of the Judicial Education Center, briefed us about the role of the centre in developing judicial education in Qatar.
We had trainings on anti-corruption bodies and procedural processes in fighting corruption in Qatar on the same day. Training on combating corruption was given by Dr Anwar Masade of Ahmad Military College. After this session, Dr Ahmed Samir, Faculty of Law at Qatar University, made us aware about the anti-corruption system and objective in the Qatari law.
From our side, we briefed the Qatari prosecution team about our legal system in transition and about our judicial system. So, both, Qatari and Nepalese prosecution shared each other’s country’s law and legal system.
What are the differences you have found between Nepalese and Qatari legal procedures?
The criminal legal system of Qatar is better. Qatari laws are based on Islamic philosophy, while ours are based on Hinduism. Qatar is employing various new techniques whereas we are stuck with the same old ways. Qatar has a crystal clear policy on equal punishment for all, Qatari and non-Qatari. I found the Qatari Supreme Court very friendly. Qatar has progressed heavily in legal procedures and judiciary development.
You were learning about various legal techniques and procedures in Qatar? Are they viable for Nepal?
A. We can’t just copy and use those techniques and procedures, given that [they are based on an] Islamic perspective. Yet, the investigative procedures employed here are very good and staff and officials are competent. Whatever we have learnt here will be utilised to build a better judicial and legal system in Nepal. We are truly inspired by Qatari lawyers, staffs and officials and can do the same in our own country.
Have you invited Qatari Attorney General to Nepal?
Of course, we have invited Qatari Attorney General to Nepal. He has said that he will visit Nepal soon, yet the schedule of his visit hasn’t been fixed. He has said that he will come to Nepal for 4 to 5 days. I hope his visit will put another brick in our bilateral relationship.
A few months ago Qatari Attorney General visited Nepal. During that visit what subjects were discussed?
In April, the attorney general together with five other officers made a short visit to Nepal. During that one-day visit, we discussed a range of issues and agreed to establish a direct contact between the attorney generals’ offices of both countries to tackle the issues of common interest. We also agreed to organise training in Doha for Nepalese prosecutors to build our legal capacity. Attorney General Al-Marri also met with our Minister of Law and Minister of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. The meetings were attended by the Chargé d’affaires at the Qatari Embassy in Kathmandu.
How successful was your Qatar trip in reinforcing bilateral ties between the two countries?
I had fruitful meetings with the Attorney General, President of the Court of Cassation and the Chairman of the Supreme Judiciary Council. All of them praised Nepalese workers and expat community for their intelligence, diligence and hardworking nature. Chairman of Supreme Judiciary Council Masood Mohammed al-Amri told me that Qatar University is willing to provide full scholarships to Nepalese law scholars.
He also assured our team that the legal case of any Nepali residing here will be solved in the given time frame. He further mentioned that anyone could directly visit him if there were any delays.
Attorney General Al-Marri praised the long existing diplomatic relations between the two countries that date back to the late 70s. He also said the two countries should work together to solve any labour issues. During my visit, I found Qatari people consider Nepalese workers as their own family members.
Qatar is hosting FIFA World Cup 2022. In your view, what are the possible opportunities for Nepalese community from this mega sports event?
Hosting of the event here not only makes Qatar proud, but also Nepal and the entire AsiDuring these five days, I found Qatar is ready for the football carnival. I visited the stadiums, which were under construction and was glad that the ongoing construction work had already provided jobs to so many Nepalis. These Nepali workers are supporting their families back home and sustaining the country’s economy. So, I see multiple opportunities are on their way for the Nepalese community as Qatar hosts FIFA World Cup 2022.
At last, what would you like to say to Qatar government and Nepalese community of Qatar?
I would like to thank the Qatar Attorney General for his warm invitation and for making our visit more rewarding. I hope Qatar’s Attorney General will soon visit Nepal, which will make our relations even stronger. Qatar is a beautiful country where I found Nepalese employees working in every shop and superstore. I would like to thank Qatar government for providing jobs to Nepalese on such a large scale. I would also like to congratulate the country for being selected to host the FIFA World Cup 2022. I found rules and regulations in Qatar quite different from that in Nepal. I request Qatar government to provide basic legal trainings to Nepali workers before they join their work stations. That will make easier for Nepali workers and their employers to work together. And I want to tell Nepali worker that they have to abide by the cultural rules and regulations of Qatar.
