Dialogue
Completion of the establishment of a new department for digital evidence according to the best international standards examined 2798 samples in the first quarter of this year, an increase of 22.18%. Evidence remains reserved until all stages of litigation are finally ended in the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze data
In the first press interview after assuming the position of director of material evidence department, as the first woman to take over this site, Dr. Tasaa Al -Dossary revealed the creation of a section for digital evidence in 2024, and work is being completed and established according to the best international standards, to keep pace with digital development, by setting all the foundations of digital tests, and providing digital analysis in the face of crimes related to digital devices.
It also pointed to the high samples that the administration achieved by 22.18% for the first quarter of this year, compared to its counterpart for the previous year, as the number of samples reached 2798 samples in 3 months, indicating that there are the latest technologies to detect evidence, where results can be shown from very small samples that may weigh weighing to the bicoram unit.
Dr. Hessa, whose studies were reinforced with training from the ancient Harvard University, and obtained a certificate in the development of leadership in the field of health during 2019, in an interview with “Al -Watan”, indicated that the use of material evidence management is not limited to cases of the Public Prosecution, but the courts of all kinds use them to memorize the facts, confirming the independence of the administration derived from the Public Prosecution, and is due to its pride in the Bahraini competencies that It works in the administration, and the following is the text of the dialogue:
We would like to get to know Dr. Tasah Sabah Al -Dossari, her studies, expertise, and history in professional work to this position, which has been vacant for a long time.
– A consultant doctor holding the Arab Board in Family Medicine and the Joint Board of Family Medicine from the Irish University of Surgeons. I also strengthened my studies with training from the University of Harvard, and I obtained a certificate in the development of leadership in the field of health during 2019. Of course, the national programs to develop government leaders from the Institute of Public Administration have added a lot of knowledge and know -how. She also worked for several years in the military hospital as a family doctor, after which she moved to the National Authority for the Regulatory of Health Services and Services as Head of the Licensing Department for Health Institutions. I am proud to be chosen to serve my national evidence in the justice system.
The physical evidence is essential to revealing the truth in crimes, so how can the work of material evidence develop during the past years and to the present day?
– After the establishment of the Public Prosecution in 2002, within the reform project of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of the country, it was necessary to establish an integrated scientific apparatus to support the prosecution in its investigations regarding the achievement and evaluation of material evidence and to express a specialized technical opinion that helps to dispose of cases in light of the scientific results that are reached, from here the establishment of the Department of Physical Evidence in 2006 to support the work of the prosecution as well as the courts. Since its establishment, the administration has gone through a successive development stages to keep pace with the latest developments and the best experiences, until it has reached the great development that we are witnessing today in terms of technical disciplines, as well as scientific laboratories supported by the latest devices capable of achieving the best results and in high quality.
After completing the evidence for each crime, is it disposed of or kept for a certain period, and what is that period and how is this evidence dealt with storing or archiving it?
– According to the Bahraini law, specifically the Criminal Procedure Law issued by Decree Law No. (46) for the year 2002 and its amendments, criminal evidence is dealt with after the end of cases in accordance with accurate legal controls aimed at protecting justice and ensuring the safety of procedures. Bahraini law does not specify a unified period to maintain evidence, but rather is kept throughout the period of investigation and trial and even the issuance of a final ruling. In the event of an appeal or appeal by discrimination, the evidence remains reserved until all stages of litigation are finally ended.
Evidence is stored by the Department of Physical Evidence of the Public Prosecution or the Ministry of Interior in secure places designated for this purpose, in order to ensure its safety and confidentiality. Each evidence is documented with a reference number, and it is registered in an official record that guarantees its followers and not manipulating it, which reflects the commitment of the competent authorities to the highest professional standards and accuracy in dealing with evidence.
After the end of the case, Bahraini law sets a clear mechanism for disposal in evidence, through which its fate is determined according to its nature and its relationship to the crime. Some evidence is damaged if it poses a threat to security or public health, such as drugs, weapons or prohibited things, and a decision is issued by the Public Prosecution or the competent court. Fastage things are also eliminated after examining them by the General Administration of Physical Evidence, with an indication of what they are and the attachment of a detailed report on them that is included in the case file.
As for the evidence that was used in the commission of the crime, or that was obtained from the crime seizures, or those that the law prohibits possession at all, it is confiscated according to what is stipulated in the law. On the other hand, the evidence is returned to its owners if it is no longer required in the case, after the issuance of a final ruling, and on the condition that there is no legal barrier to prevent this, with the provision of evidence of the property of the guide by its owner.
Some practical examples to clarify this procedure, such as the mobile phone that is returned to its owner, emerges if it is proven that it is not related to the crime, after verifying its ownership. The same applies to the sums of money that it becomes later turns out to be related to the crime, as it is re -verified from its project source. On the other hand, the unlicensed weapon is not returned even after the end of the case, but rather it is confiscated according to the legal provisions.
In any permission, and to what extent the material evidence management contributes to dealing with issues, and is there an existing coordination between the Public Prosecution and the administration?
– As is well known, the tasks assigned to manage material evidence are of a scientific nature, and this nature is necessarily accompanied by the exact scientific specialization, without which it is not possible to express an opinion or extract the results to which technical reports end, and therefore the public prosecutor’s behavior on cases in which the material guide derived from the examination of seizures or samples; It is based mainly on the technical opinion that the administration has concluded in accordance with the task assigned to it, and the use of material evidence management is not only limited to cases related to the Public Prosecution, but the courts of all kinds use them to show the scientific facts related to the lawsuit circulating before them.
With regard to coordination, I would like to explain at the beginning that the material evidence management is affiliated with the Public Prosecution, which is one of its components, and is subject to direct supervision by the public prosecutor, and then its independence derives from the independence of the Public Prosecution as a division of the judiciary. There is, of course, an existing and continuous coordination between the administration and the members of the prosecution. Experts have to review the investigators and obtain the information they need on issues related to facts, which must be identified to implement the task assigned to it. The members of the prosecution may also review the expert to memorize some scientific issues and the extent of their impact on determining criminal responsibility. This is in addition to general coordination, from which we aim to develop and modernize, including the method of working in implementing decisions and completing tasks.
Can we give an idea about the size of the tasks assigned to the administration?
During the year 2024, the Department of Physical Evidence has completed 9414 samples, which reflects the size of the multiple tasks played by the administration and the vital role it plays in supporting investigations and analyzing evidence. In 2025, the number of samples completed until the end of the first quarter reached 2798 samples, compared to 2290 samples during the same period in 2024, an increase of 22.18%. This increase reflects the growing responsibilities and the expansion of the administration’s work, which enhances its position as one of the main pillars in the criminal justice system.
What is new in managing material evidence in terms of devices and technologies, and where the administration has reached the development compared to its counterparts in the world?
– The Public Prosecution, headed by the Attorney General, Dr. Ali Al -Buainain, is always keen to use the latest devices that will lead to more accurate and high -quality results, and this is what we are working on as a team in the administration to keep pace with global development and follow -up of scientific bulletins that recommend the use of modern devices in this field. The team also works continuously on scientific research that is useful in detecting modern industrial narcotic substances.
As I mentioned before, the administration has witnessed since its establishment and until now the stages of successive development, as it was supported by the latest devices in accurate areas such as the genetic fingerprint, and with distinguished cadres in the specialties of forensic medicine and criminal laboratories, and it works in parallel to keep pace with scientific innovations in examining material evidence and their return on investigations in revealing the circumstances of the crime and perpetrators, and we are continuing to work seriously to develop the administration in accordance with the best international practices in This is, whether in terms of specialization or performance.
We also take into account the development of capabilities and the acquisition of experiences as an essential element in development, and there is communication with the counterparts in the world and scientific libraries to exchange research and see best practices in the field of forensic medicine and laboratories.
What are the latest tests for material evidence management?
– Our laboratories are equipped with modern technologies and devices that enable us to obtain accurate results. For example, we have in the toxic and chemistry laboratories, high -quality devices to examine information and unknown materials from narcotic substances and psychotropic substances that enable us to obtain results through very small samples that may weigh weighing to the bicoram unit. The biology and genetic fingerprint laboratory is also equipped with advanced devices for DNA and genetic analysis through unknown samples, which are a necessary tool to support issues related to forensic medicine and identify missing persons and proportions examination tests. The same laboratory has also been supported by modern devices that measure the amount of DNA and evaluate its quality, which is an important and necessary step to examine the sample before the stage of DNA stereotype and genetic analysis. The department of forgery and forgery was supported by super -spectrum and multi -spectrum photography devices using red rays, ultraviolet rays and reflected light analysis techniques, which have a major role in detecting any attempts to counterfeit in documents and documents.
What is your plan for the next stage, especially with the development of crimes, the entry of artificial intelligence, deep forgery and other newly developed crime techniques?
– As I mentioned, the Public Prosecution is always keen to keep pace with the management of material evidence of developments that occur in the forms of crime and its means, including electronic crimes, and the methods of research and verification through conclusive scientific evidence, this is confirmed by the Attorney General. We are currently working on completing the digital evidence department, which was created in 2024, and work is underway to establish it on the best international standards in order to start work in it to the fullest, and to add to scientific verification operations. We are also working to lay all the foundations for this type of digital tests and provide the necessary means for digital analysis, as it is a technique necessary to use it in the face of crimes, especially with the increasing use of digital devices. Through this technology, the mobile phone content, storage devices and computers are examined and analyzed, and monitoring electronic data indicating use, dates and proportions, and we have, thanks to God, Bahraini competencies in this field calling for pride.
In this context, in line with the Public Prosecution’s tendency towards the use of artificial intelligence techniques, and the attention it attaches to the achievement of the completed justice, we started from our side to work to conduct reviews for the best global practices to use artificial intelligence in the field of material evidence.
What are the administration’s preparations in the field of digital evidence to deal with the development of the crime?
– The administration is currently working to create and develop a laboratory specializing in digital evidence analysis, which will be provided with the latest advanced software and technologies, with the aim of supporting the investigation procedures by examining and analyzing digital materials such as images, videos, and the content extracted from electronic devices with high accuracy and efficiency, in order to keep pace with modern technical standards in this field. As part of the pursuit of continuous development, the administration is keen to use the latest technologies to examine evidence, including digital devices analysis tools, photos and videos, which contributes to enhancing the accuracy of the investigation and linking evidence to facts. The training program is also concerned with qualifying examiners through continuous training in modern analysis tools to keep pace with the development of the crime.
Besides, the administration pays great attention to the application of artificial intelligence techniques and machine learning in data analysis, because of its pivotal role in developing work methods and achieving more accurate and effective results. The administration also continues to continue scientific and technical developments through specialized research and seminars, and seeks to take advantage of modern experiences to ensure that developments in the field of crime control and upgrade the level of professional and technical performance.
