Offices and Departments
Rule of Law Coordinator (ROL)
Rule of Law Coordinator Douglas A. Allen is the Ambassador’s primary advisor on Rule of Law policies and initiatives in Iraq. The Rule of Law Coordinator’s office provides direction, oversight and support to about 200 personnel in twelve operational units of U.S. Embassy Baghdad, each of which plays a discrete role in promoting justice in Iraq. Its mission is to ensure that all who work on Rule of Law design and implement their programs consistent with the Embassy’s overall plan. In carrying out this work, ROL coordinates with MNF-I and others on the interagency team.
Among its activities, ROL develops and administers educational, advisory and operational programs to promote a sustainable system of justice. ROL components have, for example, trained Iraqi law enforcement personnel in basic investigative techniques, helped construct prisons that meet international standards, and established major crimes courts throughout Iraq so that serious offenses could be prosecuted.
Current ROL priorities include:
- Supporting the security of judicial personnel and courthouses;
- Developing case-management standards that will lead to improved, rapid processing of criminal cases in compliance with Iraqi procedural law;
- Providing adequate resources to bring major cases to completion;
- Institutionalizing the rapid enforcement of civil and criminal judicial orders;
- Developing sufficient Iraqi facilities and personnel, along with appropriate policies and procedures, to detain all pre-trial and post-conviction detainees in compliance with the law and with international human rights standards; and
- Enhancing the courts’ system-wide planning capacity and institutional integrity.
In carrying out its responsibilities, ROL meets regularly with the Chief Justice of Iraq and President of the Higher Judicial Council, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of the Interior. It also oversees federal law enforcement in operational matters concerning, for example, prosecutions under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act.