During a visit to the Open Prisons Complex, Director- General of Verdict Enforcement and Alternative Sentencing Shaikh Khalid bin Rashid Al Khalifa, briefed Secretary General of Ombudsman Mrs. Ghada Hamid Habib, and members of the Commission for the Rights of Prisoners and Detainees, in the presence of the execution judges, about the services and rehabilitation and training programmes provided for the beneficiaries of the Open Prisons Programme, as well as the facilities, modern equipment and advanced technologies that are used to conduct work and the procedures followed in the programme, which is considered as a complement to the successes of the Alternative Sentencing Project.
The Director- General pointed out to that the open prisons programme is a bright sign in the human rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain, hailing the royal directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and his keenness to improve the application of the provisions of the Penal Code and alternative measures.
Moreover, he clarified that there were 5475 beneficiaries from the alternative sentencing , While the rate of crime decreased to 2.2%, which are indicators to the success of this civilised project, adding that the open prisons programme is a leap in the penal system and national legislation.
The objectives of the open prisons programme were reviewed as one of the effective programmes in the field of enhancing security and developing human rights system.
The Secretary General of Ombudsman and members of the Commission for the Rights of Prisoners and Detainees expressed their appreciation for the programme and its advanced experience which is considered a hope for the future.
