Conference Explores Non-Custodial Sentences Under Penal Code Amendments

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, July 13 (Petra) -- The Dialogue Conference on "Alternatives to Custodial Sentences under the 2025 Penal Code Amendments: Impact on Society and Restorative Justice" opened on Sunday.
The event was organized by the Danish Institute Against Torture (DIGNITY), in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and the Swiss Embassy in Jordan.
The conference aims to build a "shared" understanding of recent legal amendments, highlight the pivotal role of the judiciary and public prosecution, and develop practical recommendations grounded in the principle of restorative justice, according to a ministry statement.
It also provides a platform for meaningful engagement on the evolving restorative justice landscape in Jordan through expert discussions and institutional reflections.
Talking to the gathering, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Justice for Legal Affairs, Waleed Kanakrieh, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Justice, stressed that criminal legislation plays a fundamental role in maintaining societal order by regulating human behavior and defining crimes and penalties to achieve general and specific deterrence.
Modern deterrence no longer relies solely on rigid laws but also requires a deep understanding of human nature and crime circumstances, along with a contemporary legal philosophy balancing firmness with reform, he pointed out.
Kanakrieh emphasized that alternatives to custodial sentences have become both a practical and legal necessity in light of modern penal philosophies that seek to balance deterrence, rehabilitation, and reintegration, especially given the ineffectiveness of short-term prison sentences.
Kanakrieh added that restorative criminal justice represents a "qualitative" shift in understanding the function of criminal law, moving beyond mere deterrence to address root causes of crime, heal its impacts, and rebuild social relationships.
On its feasibility, he said restorative justice has proven "more effective" in delivering sustainable deterrence than traditional systems, making it essential to support this approach legislatively and institutionally while ensuring a fair balance of rights and responsibilities for all parties.
In turn, Attorney General Nayef Samarat affirmed that the amendments align with international standards and modern criminal policies that no longer view imprisonment as the best deterrent but instead focus on offender rehabilitation and balancing fair trial rights with victims' rights.
He noted that the judiciary held numerous workshops to design these measures and continues to hold further sessions to "fully understand and properly implement the new amendments."
The conference featured two main panel sessions. The first, themed: "Legal Amendments and Implementation Mechanisms," engaged the Ministry's Secretary-General, Judicial Council Secretary-General Ali Masaimeh, DIGNITY's representative Mohammed Shamma, and was moderated by Assistant Attorney General Hisham Tarawneh.
The second session, "Restorative Justice and Its Role in Strengthening Human Rights in Jordan," featured Hanan Khawaldeh, Director of the Human Rights Directorate at the Ministry of Justice; Hadeel Abdul Aziz, Director of the Justice Center for Legal Aid; Linda Kalash, Director of Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights; Anas Shatnawi, Secretary of the Jordan Bar Association; and Nahla Momani from the National Center for Human Rights.
The conference is part of the Karama Program, a long-term partnership between DIGNITY and national institutions since 2008, aimed at developing justice sector policies and expanding alternatives to detention and custodial penalties.

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