Bahrain and Saudi Arabia review ways to modernise justice system

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s achievements in modernising its judicial system, as well as the implementation of a five-year strategy and digital transformation, were discussed yesterday.

The Supreme Judicial Council Vice-President and Court of Cassation President, Chancellor Abdulla bin Hassan Al Buainain, Attorney-General, Dr Ali bin Fadhl Al Buainain, and Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, held a joint meeting with the Saudi Justice Minister and Saudi Supreme Judicial Council President, Dr Walid Al Samaani, who is on an official visit to Bahrain.

They welcomed the visit of the Saudi Justice Minister and his accompanying delegation to the kingdom during the meeting, which was attended by officials from the Justice Ministry, judges, and members of the Public Prosecution.

The Bahrain officials reviewed the development projects of the country’s judicial system, including mainly the implementation of the Restorative Justice Law for Children and Protection from Maltreatment, the Alternative Penalties and Procedures Law, the Law of Civil and Commercial Execution, the legal case management system and medication in criminal cases.

Likewise, the visiting delegation was briefed about the strategic initiatives (2021-2025) put forward by the Justice Ministry to enhance access to justice, which is based on seven pillars that are implemented over a period of five years.

The five-year strategy is aimed at developing the legal and judicial work environment, enhancing the role of licensees in resolving disputes, involvement of the private sector, serving the public, improving the predictability of judgments and criminal justice procedures, developing judicial procedures and digital courts, and the practice of the legal profession, and enhancing the family and child protection environment.

The meeting also reviewed the applications of digital transformation in the justice sector, through which the automation of all procedures before the courts was completed, thus putting in place an integrated system that is fully available electronically, starting from filing the case until the stage of the execution of the judicial rulings, taking into account the availability of all constitutional and legal guarantees for a fair trial.

Following the meeting, the Saudi Minister of Justice toured the restorative justice courts, where he was briefed on the progress of their work and procedures, as well as on the role of social and psychological experts before the restorative justice courts for children and the Judicial Committee for Childhood.