Judicial project to usher in new era

Author: 
P.K. Abdul Ghafour | Arab News
Publication Date: 
Wed, 2009-10-14 03:00

JEDDAH: The inauguration by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah of the first phase of a major project to upgrade judicial facilities early next year will open a new era for the Kingdom’s judicial system, said Justice Minister Muhammad Al-Eissa on Tuesday.

“The Ministry of Justice is committed to carrying out its responsibilities in the best possible manner and overcoming all difficulties that obstruct the speedy grant of rights and justice,” the minister said while announcing the quick implementation of the project.

He said the project, which was initiated by King Abdullah, aims at mobilizing knowledge, expertise, technology and manpower in the service of Shariah. “The speeding up of the judicial process and ensuring justice are the hallmarks of development,” he added.

Al-Eissa spelled out his ministry’s efforts to develop the Kingdom’s judiciary in line with modern developments, accommodating the best practices of other countries, such as the pleading of cases in courts through lawyers and the publication of court verdicts. He said Saudi judges were highly qualified to do their jobs.

Al-Eissa said King Abdullah would also open an international conference entitled “The Diversity of Criminal Verdicts: Toward Developing a Scientific Basis for Punishments.” He said the conference would focus on setting out the basic principles for punishments in order to avoid different verdicts in similar cases. At the same time, the courts will consider the backgrounds of defendants, especially those with previous criminal records.

He said international experts would take part in the conference and their recommendations would be presented to King Abdullah for his approval. “We at the Ministry of Justice are working to implement the king’s vision for the Kingdom’s judiciary in order to achieve a high level of efficiency. This can be done by facilitating the judicial process,” he said.

Main category: 
Old Categories: