RIYADH: Judicial sources have confirmed that the Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, Walid Al-Samaani, has ordered the termination of the “long-distance trial” project, which was launched a year ago by the Ministries of Justice and Interior.

The annual budget for the project had already been approved by the Finance Ministry at the time of its termination.

The project was due to be undertaken through the cooperation of the court and prison systems, and was seen as a “new technological revolution in justice,” the objective of which was to create prompt and efficient judicial processes underlined by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ intention to develop judicial amenities.

The project helped in carrying out trials without the need for the prisoner to be present in court, thus reducing costs for both the judicial authorities and security parties. The project also helped to protect the prisoners and assisted in guarding their privacy.

The “long-distance trial project” would have also decreased the financial burdens on the Ministry and its departments, and would have reduced the need for those involved in the case to travel between cities.