HM King receives senior members of royal family and officials, praises alternative sentencing programme results
October 24, 2024, 1:50 pm

HM King receives senior members of royal family and officials, praises alternative sentencing programme results

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

The Bahrain Open Prisons Programme is an innovative measure that provides middle and high-risk prisoners in Bahraini jails with the chance to reintegrate more successfully back into society. Those detainees selected for the scheme are able to spend the day undertaking community service work outside prison and return to secure but good quality accommodation overnight.
The programme, inaugurated in 2022, forms part of a project alternative punishments in Bahrain and runs alongside the “alternative sentencing” programme, that enables all prisoners, even those convicted of serious security or terrorism offences, to qualify for release on community service, home detention and other rehabilitation programmes.
Of the 48 initial candidates on the 2022 open prisons programme, 13 found permanent jobs in the private sector. This success paved the way for the second batch of 57 candidates.
⁠A Bahrain Government spokesperson said: “As part of the wide-ranging criminal justice reforms, Bahrain’s Courts will now be in a position to make much greater use of alternative sentencing and the justice system will more clearly focus on the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into society.”
⁠This reintegration programme is the first of its kind in the Middle East and sets a standard beyond the region. The International Ombudsman Chris Field, who visited the open prisons programme facilities in Bahrain recently, talked of the high success rate in reintegrating detainees back into Bahrain society and called the programme “the most progressive and positive of its kind anywhere in the world.”

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”