AMMAN - Legal experts on Saturday stressed the need for women defendants to be tried in an environment that is more sensitive to their needs.
At a roundtable session held by the Arab Women's Legal Network (AWLN) yesterday, legal expert Mohammad Musa explained that such an environment is needed at times to help female defendants overcome fear and feel comfortable to give testimony.
For example, some judicial systems in the region opt not to disclose a defendant's name to safeguard her privacy and reputation, he explained.
Underlining the importance of ensuring that court proceedings in Jordan are more accommodating to women, lawyer Nour Emam charged that "there is discrimination against women defendants in courts because of their gender".
In a presentation during the roundtable, Emam cited the results of an AWLN field study that followed 18 months of legal proceedings at various courts in the Kingdom.
She said the findings revealed that some judges lose their temper during trials of female defendants, intimidating them and discouraging them from speaking.
Highlighting the fact that the Kingdom is witnessing a rise in female judges, Emam called for more women justices to preside over cases involving female defendants.
Women defendants are often deemed guilty before the trial begins, Emam charged, adding that due to their lack of awareness on legal issues, women sometimes waive their right to a court-designated lawyer.
She criticised lengthy periods of administrative detention, particularly in so-called honour crimes where "women are sometimes held at correctional facilities for their protection".
"One woman spent 20 years at a correctional facility for the purpose of protection," Emam told attendees.
The issue of court sensitivity to gender originated in European judicial systems due to violations of women's rights, Ashraf Omari, a Sharia court judge, explained, stressing that Islam secures all human rights.
The session, attended by legal experts and judges from courts across the Kingdom, is part of an AWLN project focusing on trial observation as a means to safeguard women's legal rights.
By Abeer Nouman
© Jordan Times 2010
