The Justice Ministry of Saudi Arabia is pleased to start their project of building new courts in close proximity with prisons, after it received the go signal from the Interior Ministry and Water.
Jeddah City has pioneered in building a new court just a few meters away from Briman Prison. Other cities like Riyadh, Dammam, Madinah, Jazan and three other cities will follow the building of new courts near its prisons to expedite the trials of the local inmates, according to Saudi Gazette's report.
A total of 33 courts and notaries in various parts of Riyadh Province will be established, and the Ministry of Justice has already signed contracts to approve of the projects.
The Director of Projects from the Ministry of Justice, Saad Al-Hazimi, said that the courts are expected to be completed within two years. The report from Arab News stated that, the buildings will need estimated cost of SR250 million ($660 million) in order to finish the project.
In a related report, Al-Hazimi said that the courts will be very close to prisons and inmates will be transported through a special path that is monitored by cameras.
Al-Hazimi disclosed that a coordination between the General Prison Directorate and the Ministries of Saudi Arabia is on-going to secure lands that are close to prisons in all parts of the Kingdom.
The building of new courts, especially criminal courts, near prisons would be very beneficial to all parties, prisoners and lawyers alike, as it would be able to address lots of problems.
Omar Omar Al-Khouli, a professor of law stated in the Saudi Gazette, "If courts are set up near prisons, the need to handcuff or shackle prisoners when they are taken to courts will not arise. Taking prisoners to courts in shackles is humiliating,"
Al-Khouli also said that the new system will also reduce the difficulties prisoners are facing during the transfers. Aside from that, the reduced travel time would significantly improve the speed required of the court procedures and the schedule of the hearings.
"We expect the ministry would appoint specialized judges at prison courts. There are only 1,800 judges throughout the Kingdom and many of them are looking for other jobs due to low pay. Judges receive less salary than lawyers," he added.
Rayan Mufti, lawyer and legal consultant, commended the Justice Ministry's establishment of the new court in Jeddah City, saying "it will reduce the number of security officers required for taking convicts from prison to courts."
Mufti said in the Saudi Gazette that, "Lawyers are informed about court sessions on the same day. As a result, many of them are unable to attend the hearings to defend their clients." As a result, hearings are cancelled. "The presence of courts near jails would enable lawyers to meet their clients and reduce complications such as getting permission to meet them," he further explained.
