The Dean of the College of Community Service and Continuing Education at Umm Al-Qura University, Chairman of the Scientific Committee for the alternative sanctions workshop, Prof. Khalid Barqawi, indicated that 29 specialists and academic researchers will participate in workshop which will last for two days. They will convene to discuss 4 themes that include the concept of alternative sanctions and a critical study of their origin according to the Shari`ah, social and psychological intervention and its role in activating alternative sanctions, judicial applications and the models proposed for alternative sanctions, and international experiments in executing alternative sanctions as well as their relation to the Kingdom's vision of 2030.

The workshop will be launched on Wednesday, 15 Jumada Al-Thani, 1440 A.H., under the patronage of His Royal Highness the Advisor of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Emir of Makkah Region, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal. Umm Al-Qura University, represented by the Deanship of Scientific Research, organizes this workshop in cooperation with the Social Development Committee at the Council of Makkah Province that is part of the Emirate of Makkah.

The Chairman of the Scientific Committee stated that the workshop will be divided into 6 sessions over the two days. The Advisor of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Royal Highness Prince Abdul-Aziz bin Sattam bin Abdulaziz, will deliver a speech entitled, 'Social and Psychological Intervention and its Role in Activating Alternative Sanctions, and International Experiments and their Relation to the Vision of 2030'. His Excellency Dr. Salih bin Humaid, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars and advisor to the Royal Court, will deliver a speech on judicial applications and suggested examples of alternative sanctions. His Excellency Dr. Sa`d Al-Shathri, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars and advisor to the Royal Court, will deliver a speech on the concept of alternative sanctions and a critical study of its origin according to the Shari`ah. The session will be managed by His Excellency the former President of the Islamic University, Prof. Muhammad bin Ali Al-Uqla, in the presence of more than 90 specialized international and governmental figures who were invited to attend the event.

Dr. Khalid Barqawi confirmed that the number of total papers submitted to the scientific committee were 37 in all, 78 % of which (29 papers) were accepted because of meeting the required conditions. He pointed out that the total number of participants included academic researchers (15 researchers) and 22 specialized researchers, such as judges, legal scholars, lawyers, specialists in psychology, sociology, and social services, as well as specialists from the Directorate of Prisons, Public Prosecution, the Emirate of Makkah, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Labor and Social Development, and experts concerned with alternative sanctions.

According to the Head of the Scientific Committee, several stages were followed in the preparation of the workshop, including communication with the Social Development Committee at the Council of Makkah Province, which is part of the Emirate of Makkah. Several topics that link scientific research with practical life were discussed to make use of research outcomes locally. After choosing the topics, a small workshop was held for Umm Al-Qura University researchers who were interested in this regard. After brainstorming and discussions, an initial vision was formulated for the workshop, which will gather all concerned bodies who are working in the field with researchers in various specializations.

Barqawi pointed out that the committee members visited all bodies that have relations with sanctions, its execution, or execution of their alternatives in three cities: Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Riyadh, and Jeddah, to become closely acquainted with their aspirations. These bodies include the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, Ministry of Justice, Public Prosecution, General Directorate of Prisons, and Makkah Prisons Directorate.

The committee was keen to provide researchers with information about the reality, aspirations, and barriers that may face some bodies concerned with the execution of alternative sanctions by a holding preparatory meeting to display local experiments and offer useful examples. This is to enable the workshop suggest applicable studies and research which are in conformity with the reality. This workshop is an extension to the university's strategic vision, which is in line with the goals of the national transformation program 2020 and the vision of 2030. It aims at transforming the university outcomes of research and studies into projects that serve development goals.

Several representatives from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education (represented by Umm Al-Qura University), Ministry of Labor and Social Development, Public Prosecution Office, General Directorate of Prisons, Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, and several academic members from a number of Saudi universities will participate in the workshop. The workshop aims at gathering all concerned bodies to discuss and exchange views and expertise in this field to reach applicable suggestions for the execution of alternative sanctions. It also seeks to conduct research projects to study alternative sanctions and their effects, and propose national initiatives that can promote such a concept.