Today, Tuesday, the Ministry of Justice launched the computerized legal aid system, in the presence of representatives of the Judicial Council, the Jordanian Bar Association, the National Center for Human Rights, the Spanish Embassy, ​​and a number of active partners.

The Secretary General of the Ministry for Administrative and Financial Affairs, Kholoud Al-Abadi, said that, based on the visions of His Majesty King Abdullah II and the recommendations of the Royal Committee to develop the judicial system and strengthen the rule of law, Article 208 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and its amendments No. 9 of 1961 was amended to grant the right to legal aid with its definition that It provides for legal representation before the Public Prosecution departments, regular courts, and the Grand Criminal Court in accordance with the provisions of the legislation in force in criminal cases for any Jordanian person or resident in Jordan.

She added that the types of legal aid were defined as compulsory and optional, and the Ministry established a specialized directorate in the field of legal aid, with the aim of providing legal assistance to the groups entitled to it, establishing a fund for legal aid and determining its financial resources under the supervision of the Ministry, in addition to the issuance of Legal Aid Regulation No. 119 of 2018, which set standards Entitlement to legal aid, and the system was amended last year with the aim of increasing the number of beneficiaries of these services.

She confirmed that providing legal advice to victims of human trafficking was covered under the Human Trafficking Victims Assistance Fund Regulation No. (6) of 2023, in coordination and partnership with the Regular Bar Association.

She said that the launch of the computerized legal aid system, which came as part of a series of projects to enhance access to justice included in the justice sector strategy for the years (2022-2026), with the aim of raising the efficiency and effectiveness of legal aid by automating legal aid procedures and including them in the Mizan system, which is the case management system managed by the Ministry Justice in all courts and affiliated departments, in addition to implementing training courses for judges, prosecutors, legal aid liaison officers and quality control officers in all courts and affiliated departments, with the aim of ensuring the proper functioning of the legal aid services system and improving its services.

It is noteworthy that the project of computerization and automation of legal aid work procedures was carried out in partnership between the Ministry of Justice, the Judicial Council and the Jordanian Bar Association, with the support of the Spanish Agency, within the project of access to justice and legal empowerment in Jordan.