Teleconferencing For In-Jail Trial In Sight In Pakistan

The administration of the Lahore, Pakistan, High Court may rule in favor of a plan to use teleconferencing technology when conducting certain trials in jail, as part of its prioritized information technology initiative, in the interest of protecting the identity of judges of the subordinate judiciary.

By using the system for high-profile cases, the system could speed up recording of evidence, and authorities and prisoners could interact without having to move locations.

Funding for the plan would come from the Asian Development Bank’s grant to the government for improving the judiciary.

The United States and the United Kingdom have used such systems in the past, and sources indicate subordinate courts have had to take extensive steps to protect authorities who have to go to jails to hold trials.

Postponements of sectarian case trial are another motivating factor, according to authorities.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the Pakistan Newswire (04/05/03).