Judicial authorities have begun work on bringing in amendments to the criminal procedure system approved by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

The amendments will deal with various provisions dealing with ban on monitoring of telephone calls, e-mails, telegrams and other means of communications without a warrant and, that too, for a limited period.

Article 42 stipulates that it is not permissible for criminal investigation officials to enter any lodging and search it except in cases provided for in the law, and that it should be based on a warrant issued by the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution. Residential places can only be searched with the prior permission of the investigator.

Article 47 states that any search operation should be conducted in the presence of the landlord, or any other members of the family. If such persons are not available, the search procedure can be conducted in the presence of the chief of the district (omdah) or any other person of equivalent rank, or in the presence of two witnesses.

The article also stipulates that the minutes of the search process should be recorded.

In regard to e-mails and telephone conversations and other means of communications, it is not permissible to monitor and listen into them unless there is reasonable ground to do so.

Article 56 stipulates that the head of the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution has the power to order monitoring of letters and packages dispatched by mail, and to listen to phone calls and record them if there is a reasonable cause that may lead to disclosure of the details of a crime.