Recommendations Based on the findings contained in the above chapters, ISTIQLAL makes the following recommendations: To the legislature:     Establish by law an overall maximum duration (e.g. two years) for pre-trial detention of a defendant without a conviction; Give First Instance Courts the power to impose penalties on witnesses who fail to appear at the scheduled hearing, including individuals working in the security services. Measures could include imposing fines and freezing the amount in their bank account until they give testimony; Provide a legal framework allowing defendants and witnesses to appear in court through a video-link where needed; Enact legislation allowing for trials in absentia, provided that sufficient guarantees for the defendant are ensured, including for re-trial in the event the accused is apprehended and arrested. To the High Judicial Council         Replace the current system of servicing court documents with an electronic system, already successfully implemented in other Arab countries; consider outsourcing the servicing of documents to private companies, so as to ensure maximum efficiency; Encourage productivity of judges and court officials by remunerating adequately overtime work, so that judges can reduce postponements and cope with the increased workload by working extra hours as needed; Ensure continuity in court staff by appointing judges to a specific court for a term of no less than three years; avoiding making changes in court staffing on a yearly basis, unless strictly necessary to replace judges who were promoted; Ensure that all courtrooms have adequate sound clarity and space for parties and the public, in order to preserve the dignity of the court and ensure fair trial guarantees. Create additional court sections in particularly overloaded courts; Establish a clear binding system for establishing court schedules, with case sequence and exact timing; Ensure that translators, including sign language interpreters, are readily available when needed, so as to avoid unnecessary delays; Consider reducing the number of court official holidays and bring judges’ annual leave days in line with other workers in the public and private sector; 50