PRT Kirkuk
Visit of U.S. District Judge
Judge Robert W. Sweet, a senior U.S.federal judge serving on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, visited Iraq October 4-9.
Judge Sweet participated in meetings and other outreach activities with top Iraqi officials, judges, lawyers, scholars, journalists, and civil society actors in Baghdad and Kirkuk. Highlights of his visit included a dinner hosted by Ambassador Hill, which was attended by the Chief Justice of Iraq’s Higher Judicial Council (a body similar to the U.S. Supreme Court), Medhat al-Mahmoud, and other high-ranking Iraqi officials.
In media interviews and meetings with top media NGOs, Judge Sweet discussed the importance of applying the rule of law to protect core human rights including freedom of expression. He shared the efforts of U.S. judges to balance freedom of expression with national security interests, urging hope that Iraqi judges and lawyers will uphold values enshrined in Iraq’s constitution against challenges to freedom of expression. At a well-attended event arranged by PRT colleagues in Kirkuk, Judge Sweet shared his extensive experience as a U.S. jurist, highlighting our interest in supporting the efforts of Iraqi counterparts to develop and strengthen their legal system. The success of Judge Sweet’s visit resulted from close cooperation between multiple sections within the Embassy, the U.S. military, and PRT Kirkuk.
