The Department of Law at the University of Human Development held a seminar on ‘Mental illness and legal responsibility’ at Professor Dr Ali Qaradaghi Hall on November 7th.

Dr Asos Namiq Brakhas from the Law Department was the seminar moderator. She briefly introduced the subject and passed the microphone to Dr Afram Muhammad Hassan to begin his talk.

The focus of Dr Hassan was on the legal responsibility of mentally ill and disordered persons according to the Iraqi law and the facilities or rather lack of facilities in Kurdistan for those who have the problem. He gave some illustrative examples of crimes, felonies and minor wrongdoings committed by mentally disordered people and explained how the law had treated them.

Another focus of his talk was on the lack of facilities, which the government is required by law to provide, that are needed for the improvement and rehabilitation of people with mental disabilities. It is unfortunate to say that there is a great shortage of hospitals, medical centres and doctors in Kurdistan for mental illnesses, he said.

Mental illness is a type of disorder which may cause physical conflict between the ill person and others, and the person is not aware of his/her condition and hence does not seek help, this was the definition given to the topic in the seminar. Dr Hassan cited the Iraqi law on Awareness and Will which states that someone who carries out a crime without will or consciousness will not receive a heavy punishment.

At the end of the seminar, the Head of the Department of Law, Dr Usama Salaheddin Muhammad, presented the university’s plaque, a round-shape colourful UHD logo inscribed on a flat glass, to Dr Hassan to thank him and appreciate his time.