The Justice Ministry has allocated SR1.22 billion to construct 22 new buildings for courts and public notaries in different parts of the Kingdom, said Justice Minister Mohammed Al-Eissa.

Addressing an Eid Al-Adha ceremony at the ministry, Al-Eissa said the ministry would continue its efforts to develop judicial services.

The development process will continue with the support of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, he said, adding that the new projects form part of the King Abdullah Judicial Development Project.

He said 320 judicial councils with 960 judges have been established under the project, adding that the new courts would be established close to prisons.

The 22 new buildings will be established in 10 cities.

In the first phase, the ministry will establish a criminal court and a specialized criminal court in Jeddah, a specialized criminal appeals court, a criminal court, a court for implementation of verdicts and a civil court in Madinah.

The second phase will witness the construction of a criminal court in Dammam, a general court in Al-Rass, a general court in Unaizah, another general court and a criminal court in Al-Ahsa, the minister said.

In the third phase, the ministry will construct a general court in Qatif, another general court in Alkhobar, a general court in Rafha and a general and criminal court in Hail, Al-Eissa said.

The Eid ceremony was attended by senior judicial officials including Ghaihab bin Abdullah Al-Ghaihab, chief justice of the Supreme Court, and Mohammed bin Fahd, head of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution.