Special courtroom for juveniles inaugurated at FPJD
07-02-2022
AMMAN – A special minors’ courtroom was inaugurated at the Family Protection and Juvenile Department (FPJD) on Saturday to hear victims of sexual assaults incidents and other crimes involving juveniles, official sources said.
The courtroom, which is located on the Western Amman FPJD premises, is linked directly to the Criminal Court via closed circuit television, a senior judicial source said.
“The test trial hearing on Saturday was meant to help children who are victims of all kinds of abuse to avoid going to the Criminal Court’s premises and to keep them in a relaxed environment at the FPJD,” the senior judicial source told The Jordan Times.
The children will be linked directly to the Criminal Court where judges, Criminal Court prosecutors and lawyers will be able to hear their testimonies and cross examine them, the senior judicial source said.
The new courtroom’s logistic support was made by the National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA) in cooperation with the the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Judicial Council, the Ministry of Social Development, and the FPJD, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
“The main goal is to ensure the privacy, confidentiality and the best interest for children,” Petra said
The test trial was conducted following the conclusion of a manual preparation by the NCFA in cooperation with UNHCR, according to Petra.
“The NCFA provided the needed funding to provide the FPJD with the necessary equipment to run the facility in the best manner,” Petra added.
Before the inauguration of the new courtroom at the FPJD, a special room was designated at the Criminal Court to hear children who are victims of sexual assault in order to help them from being traumatised while testifying.
The step was also meant to prevent the victims from being intimidated by the perpetrators once they are summoned by the court for testimony.
The senior judicial source added that the laws have changed to allow for such “advanced trials for children who are victims of abuse in all its forms and shape”.
It will also secure the right of the defendant, the senior judicial source added.
The senior judicial source revealed that future steps “would include hearing adult victims in the same courtroom in certain criminal violations”.
“The future plan is to hear certain cases, especially sexual assaults incidents against women, in this courtroom instead of going physically to the Criminal Court,” the senior judicial source added.
