His Excellency the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, and after the approval of the Supreme Judicial Council, and coordination with the concerned authorities, issued a decision to approve a temporary headquarters for the courts in the Jaw area, in the framework of achieving the requirements of a remote criminal trial and facilitating its procedures, in implementation of Law No. ( 7) of 2020 amending some provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law.

The allocation of the temporary headquarters for the courts in the Jaw region comes out of the keenness to provide the possibility of a remote criminal trial via ethereal transmission (visual communication) in the event that the competent court decides this in light of the precautionary measures taken to limit the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid 19) in order to preserve the health and safety of everyone.

According to His Excellency the Minister of Justice Decision No. (61) of 2020, the site located in the Jaw area next to the Inmate Reform and Rehabilitation Department is approved as a temporary headquarters for the courts, affiliated with the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments and supervises it, organizes its affairs and conducts its business, and this headquarters is designated for the transfer of criminal trial procedures. Distance using approved electronic means, according to Article 218, Paragraph Three) of the Criminal Procedure Code, that “in the cases it deems necessary to hear the case without the presence of the accused, the court may use the means of audio-visual technology and remote ethereal transmission to initiate proceedings. Consider the case with the accused and hear, watch, record and present the proceedings of the hearing against him in the presence of his lawyer in cases where the law requires this, and in the presence of a member of the Public Prosecution.

The decision of His Excellency the Minister of Justice stated that the temporary headquarters is considered part of the headquarters of the court to conduct its procedures, and the provisions stipulated for him in the law shall apply in this regard, especially the presence of a member of the Public Prosecution and the permissibility of the presence of a lawyer with the accused whenever he wants to do so, provided that the member of the Public Prosecution office is in charge of all control The procedures necessary to ensure the smooth conduct of the trial and its regularity at the temporary headquarters.