The issue of prisoners serving their jail terms in their own countries emerged at the close of the 16th annual GCC Detention Centres meeting in Bahrain.
Delegates urged GCC governments to ratify the treaty within the bloc.
This will mean that prisoners can be exchanged with the countries that have an understanding with Bahrain.
The relatives of Abdulrahim Al Murbati (pictured), who is currently serving a jail sentence in Saudi Arabia, welcomed the possibility of the approval of the decision.
Al Murbati was arrested in Saudi Arabia on April 16, 2003.
Usman Al Murbati, the brother of the victim told the Bahrain Tribune: “Two weeks ago I went to Riyadh, but there was no development in his case. It’s been four years and we do not know where he is.” The family claims that he has not been officially charged.
Abdulrahim is a relative of Isa Al Murabati, one of the two Bahraini detainees in Guantanamo Bay.
Lawyer, Abdullah Hashim who is handling the case told the Tribune: “There is no information of any charges pressed against my client. There was no legal procedure followed after his arrests. The only information we got was from insiders and newspapers that he was involved in terrorist activities and was heading a group. This cannot be confirmed as of yet.”
MP Mohammed Khalid, who has been closely following the case, had sent a letter to the Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud for a royal amnesty for Al Murbati.
He was among the MPs who supported the idea of having GCC and Arab agreements for exchange of prisoners so criminals could shift to their countries to serve sentences in their homeland.
