Al-Amn Magazine

General of the General Directorate for the Implementation of Verdicts and Alternative Penalties at the Ministry of Interior His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Kingdom of Bahrain Alistair Long. The session was moderated by Director General of Legal Affairs and Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Abdulkarim Bucheeri. The first session discussed the importance of integrating efforts to reintegrate beneficiaries into society. This contributes to strengthening cooperation between government, private, and civil society organizations, supporting beneficiaries of alternative punishments and enabling them to integrate positively. This is achieved by reducing marginalization and social stigma, within a framework that consolidates the concepts of community security and sustainable development. Participating in the session were Engineer Ali Ahmed Al Darazi, President of the National Institution for Human Rights; Dr. Shaima Abdullah Juma, Director of the Legal Affairs Department at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Faisal Foulad, Secretary General of the Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society and Dr. Ihab Rakha, Head of the Addiction Treatment Unit at the Psychiatric Hospital. A beneficiary also participated, sharing his personal experience within the alternative punishments programme. The session was moderated by Counselor Wael Rashid Buali, First Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General. The second session, titled «Alternative Penalties and Future Challenges,» addressed the impact of the Bahraini experience in implementing alternative penal systems on the experiences of several Arab countries, as well as the legal, institutional, and cultural challenges facing the implementation of these policies. The session aimed to exchange expertise and enhance regional cooperation to develop effective models that balance the achievement of justice, the protection of society, and the promotion of rehabilitation and integration. Speakers included Major General Ahmed Gamal El-Din Afara, Undersecretary of the General Administration of the Community Protection Sector from the Arab Republic of Egypt; Brigadier Osama Majid Al-Majid, Assistant Director General of Correctional Institutions at the Ministry of Interior in the State of Kuwait; Colonel Dr. Ali Al- Zaabi, Director of the Federal Police Follow-up Department in the United Arab Emirates and Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Maliki, First Attorney General and Director of the Judicial Inspection Department from the State of Qatar. The session was moderated by Counselor Dr. Mohammed Mujbil, Assistant Undersecretary for State Affairs and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs, and Endowments. The third session, «Criminal Justice Applications,» discussed the most prominent modern practices in the application of criminal justice within a reform framework, reviewing pioneering international experiences in the field of restorative justice, the importance of alternative punishments, and their role in promoting rehabilitation and social integration. Participating in the session were Judge Ayoub Ali Abu Jaafar, Head of the Criminal Policy Department at the Ministry of Justice in the Kingdom of Morocco; Brigadier General Dr. Judge Muhammad Al-Shadifat, Director of Police Justice in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Engineer Hassan Issa Al-Sharqi, Executive Director of Qplus Inspection and Quality Consulting; David Hassenreiter, Director of the Standards and Accreditation Department at the American Correctional Association; and Professor Sunita Toor, Head of the Human Rights and Social Justice Department at the Sheffield Institute of Law and Justice in the United Kingdom. The session was moderated by Ali Ahmed Amini, Director of the Crime Prevention Department at the Ministry of Interior. Bahrain’s reform approach Al-Aman magazine followed the conference and interviewed a number of participants. They emphasized the importance of adopting modern criminal reform programs that support community security and enhance the efficiency of the justice system. They praised Bahrain’s pioneering experience in implementing alternative punishments, which represents an advanced model that combines legal effectiveness with humanitarian dimensions and contributes to the positive reintegration of individuals into society. British Ambassador to Bahrain Alistair Long spoke of Bahrain’s cooperation with the United Kingdom, commending its achievements in providing more humane and community-focussed alternatives to imprisonment. He noted that the Bahraini model reflects a forward-looking vision in line with international human rights principles. «I am honored to be present at this important international event. The Alternative Sentences Project deserves all attention and support, and is the result of a distinguished collective effort.» He praised the efforts of His Excellency the Minister of Interior and His Excellency the Director General of the General Directorate for the Implementation of Verdicts and Alternative Sentences, stressing that the success of this pioneering project would not have been possible without the vision of His Majesty the King, may God protect him, and his humane and compassionate approach. Alistair Long