With just weeks to go before a major criminal justice reform takes effect, the government is ramping up efforts to ensure its smooth rollout. A new directive from the Prime Minister’s office is calling on all branches of public administration—both at the national and local levels—to fully mobilize ahead of the August 22 launch of the country’s new alternative sentencing law.
At the heart of this push is a strong emphasis on coordination with the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration, the agency tasked with overseeing implementation. Officials have been told that the success of this legal overhaul—framed as a key step in modernizing the justice system—will depend on securing sufficient staffing, technical resources, and logistical support.
Ministers and top officials are being urged to quickly finalize any outstanding preparatory work, and to offer full cooperation to the prison administration as it gears up for the shift. The directive builds on a series of coordination meetings already held, and underlines the need for clear, actionable steps moving forward.
Among the immediate priorities is the rollout of community service as a sentencing option. Departments are expected to draw up concrete guidelines: which tasks should be assigned, where these sentences should be carried out, and which sectors are best suited to host offenders under this new system.
This reform, which follows broader royal directives on reshaping criminal justice policy, marks a significant departure from conventional sentencing. Under the new law, non-custodial penalties can be applied to offenses that carry prison terms of up to five years—provided the offender is not a repeat violator.
The legislation outlines four types of alternative punishments: community service, electronic monitoring, court-ordered restrictions paired with mandatory medical or social oversight, and a daily monetary fine. The underlying goal of this shift is to replace a purely punitive approach with one that is more rehabilitative and socially conscious. The law aims to support both the reintegration of the offender and the well-being of the broader community. Built-in safeguards are meant to minimize the social and economic fallout for those affected, while still ensuring that justice is served and that penalties are properly enforced.
