One of stages of project “Modernisation of courts in Latvia” performed collectively by Latvia and Switzerland was accomplished on the 28th of June by presentation of videoconference and sound-recording equipment organised in court room of the Supreme Court. The project is carried out by the Court Administration in cooperation with the Latvian Prison Administration applying funds granted by Swiss Confederation.

47 courts and 12 prisons of Latvia, it is, total of 312 rooms were equipped with videoconference devices within the framework of the project. It will be possible to organise videoconference in court proceedings in two rooms – in Senate’s court room and in court room of the Chamber of Criminal Cases.

Courts will be able to use videoconference when participant of proceeding can’t come to the court, for example, lying in medical establishment or being held under house arrest , or is situated in another city or country. It will save time and resources to bring the accused to the court. It will also improve social society and availability of courts.

During event dedicated to closing of the stage, the company “Lattelecom” that equipped court rooms with videoconference and sound-recording devices demonstrated, how do they operate, switching videoconference with Albert Bosman, the expert in field of implementation of videoconference projects in European courts from the Netherlands, and Riga Central Prison.

Members of the Board of Justice, as well as representatives of courts, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior, the State Police, the State Probation Service and other institutions participated in the event.

 

Information prepared by

Rasma Zvejniece, the Head of the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: 67020396, 28652211