Arab convicts to spend jail terms in homeland

Manama : Arab convicts in Bahrain may soon be able to spend the remaining of their prison terms in their native countries.

The development comes as a parliamentary panel approved a draft law to ratify an agreement to exchange prisoners with fellow Arab countries.

According to MPs, the agreement strengthens Arab cooperation in the field of criminal justice not interfering in the internal affairs of member countries of the League of Arab States.

The draft law was discussed among the House of Representatives’ Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee, Foreign Affairs Ministry and Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry. 

115 Bahrainis jailed abroad

In its reply to the committee’s queries, Foreign Affairs Ministry revealed that 115 Bahrainis are serving jail terms abroad.

The ministry said that “allowing convicts to spend the remaining of their prison time in their homelands results in restoring their psychological and social stability, and to reintegrate them with the society quicker and more efficiently”.

It also stated that all member countries of the League of Arab States have approved to the agreement, except Algeria, which had its reservations regarding some articles in the agreement.

The draft law will be voted on by the remaining members of the council on Tuesday.