The Bahrain Institute for Political Development (BIPD) has held a virtual lecture, themed “the Role of the Ombudsman in the Criminal Justice System”, for Shura Council members.

Delivered by Ombudsman, Nawaf Mohammed Al-Maawda, the lecture is part of the joint keenness of BIPD and the Secretariat-General of the Shura Council to enhance the parliamentary and technical skills of Shura members, as well as their legal and political knowledge.

Al-Maada gave a briefing about the Ombudsman’s goals, principles and contributions to consolidating and protecting human rights.

He also highlighted the Ombudsman’s jurisdictions, being the first of its kind in the region, and outlined its five guiding principles, namely independence, credibility, ensuring accountability, neutrality and transparency.

He also shed light on the Ombudsman’s role in visiting prisons, juvenile care centres, and detention centres to ascertain the legality of the procedures, and that inmates, prisoners and detainees are not subjected to torture or inhuman or derogatory treatment.

He also highlighted the close relations between the Ombudsman and the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission, and their continuous cooperation, being two independent entities.

Al-Maawda stressed the Ombudsman's great interest in extending bridges of cooperation with the relevant ministries and institutions in the kingdom, affirming its positive relations with the two chambers of the National Assembly.

He also indicated that since its launch, the Ombudsman has succeeded in winning the confidence of the public, as well as the respect and appreciation of the international organizations, citing the Chaillot Prize for the Promotion of Human Rights granted to it by the European Union Delegation to GCC countries in 2014.

SOURCE: ALBILAD