‘Remote litigation’ service

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Remote court hearings can now be reached through the Ministry of Justice Ministry’s website, with users able to join sessions online and listen to witness testimony.

The ministry said on Instagram that the ‘remote litigation’ service is live on its portal at https://www.moj.gov.bh/. From the home page, litigants can click through to the service and sign in using the upgraded eKey 2.0.

Platform

Guidance on the site says the platform lets users attend hearings, watch a live broadcast of sessions, read instructions and user guidance, and contact technical support through an enquiries section.

The ministry has also shared an explainer video showing how to use the service.

Litigants are asked to log in before the scheduled start time. The ministry warned that if a party joins late, the hearing could go ahead without them and their attendance might not be recorded in the minutes.

The platform also allows documents and memoranda to be filed online through the national eGovernment portal.

Users are barred from saving or sharing any audio or video linked to a hearing, and are told to keep what is said in court private, especially in cases the court orders to be heard in secret.

Conduct The guidance also covers conduct during online hearings, including wearing suitable clothing, sitting in a well-lit place with a clear background, and keeping quiet and orderly.

Parties should not speak, intervene or comment unless the court allows it.

The court may also ask for checks to ensure a witness is not being coached or relying on written notes, in line with the duties set by law.