Latest news with #DefenceandNationalSecurityCommittee
Daily Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Shura committee reviews 17 draft laws
Seventeen draft laws, including changes to Bahrain's Penal Code and a set of international agreements, have been reviewed by the Shura Council's Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee. Chaired by Dr Ali bin Mohammed Al Rumaihi, the committee held 14 meetings during the third session of the sixth legislative term, covering legislation on criminal law, residency rules, traffic offences, and a range of foreign treaties. Three proposed amendments to the Penal Code were examined, including one to add a final paragraph to Article 107. The proposal came from five members: Nancy Dina Ely Khudori, Khalid Hussain Al Maskati, Redha Abdulla Faraj, Dr Abdulaziz Hassan Abul, and Dr Bassam Ismail Al Binmohammed. Other drafts sought to amend the 2017 law on alternative punishments, revise Article 56 of the 2014 Traffic Law, and add a new clause—Article 7 repeated—to the 1965 immigration and residency law. Each of these stemmed from proposals passed by the elected chamber. International agreements International agreements featured heavily on the agenda. The committee reviewed treaties with the UAE, Oman, South Korea, Kuwait, Hungary, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. These covered tax arrangements, investment rules, and maritime cooperation. Bahrain will also join the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic. One item concerned the amended World Trade Organization protocol on fisheries support, which has now been added to the Marrakesh Agreement's annex. The committee gave it the green light. Still under review is a draft law to ratify the Makkah Agreement on anti-corruption cooperation among member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. It was referred to the committee after His Majesty the King ordered the close of the session.
Daily Tribune
13-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Investment and tax treaties with South Korea and Oman
Two bilateral treaties, one to protect South Korean investment in Bahrain and the other to eliminate double taxation with Oman, were passed by the Shura Council yesterday. Both draft laws went through in a single sitting and are now with His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad A Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, who will send them to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Neither agreement will take effect until ratified and published in the Official Gazette. The South Korea agreement, submitted with Royal Decree No. (9) of 2025, sets terms for legal protection of investors and lays the groundwork for deeper trade and financial links between the two countries. ' The agreement is intended to encourage and safeguard investment, and to support cooperation in financial and economic matters between the two countries,' said committee rapporteur Nancy Dinah Elly Khedouri. 'It creates conditions for more cross-border investment and independent business ventures, with the aim of raising prosperity in both countries.' Markets Dr Ibtisam Al Dallal said the agreement would reinforce Bahrain's position as a base for Korean companies seeking access to Gulf markets. 'Bahrain is a strategic entry point for Korean firms due to its location and its role as a financial hub,' she said. 'This agreement offers clear legal terms for investors, encourages capital flows, and helps settle disputes when they arise.' The second agreement, linked to Royal Decree No. (12) of 2025, covers tax matters between Bahrain and Oman. It removes the risk of income being taxed twice and sets out steps to prevent tax avoidance. Dr Bassam Ismail Al Binmohamed, speaking on behalf of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee, said the law would make it easier for Bahraini and Omani firms to do business across borders. 'This will support wider economic ties and open new investment opportunities by clearing up tax issues that can slow cross-border activity,' Dr Al Binmohamed said.
Daily Tribune
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Parliament passes revised draft law criminalising invasion of privacy
A revised bill from the Shura Council has been passed by Parliament, making it a criminal offence to secretly record private conversations, film accident victims, or share intimate details of someone's life. In serious cases, offenders could face up to five years in prison and a fine of BD5,000. The bill amends Bahrain's Penal Code, focusing on Articles 354, 370 and 372. It draws together two earlier drafts, one put forward by the Shura Council and the other by the government, and presents them as a single law. Final version The Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee backed the final version. MP Mohammed Al Ma'arafi, a member of the committee, said the proposal was part of a wider push to improve legal protection for privacy. He added that the committee had held 27 meetings during the current session, much of that time spent reviewing and debating the Penal Code changes. Behaviour The new law covers a range of behaviour. Eavesdropping, filming people without their knowledge in private or compromising settings, and sharing personal material, even if accurate, can lead to prosecution if it causes harm.
Daily Tribune
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
New bill to impose tougher penalties for secret recordings
A revised bill that would make it a jailable offence, with penalties rising to five years in prison and a BD5,000 fine in severe cases, to secretly record private conversations, film accident victims or publish intimate details of others' lives goes before Parliament on Tuesday. The measure amends Bahrain's Penal Code, focusing on Articles 354, 370 and 372, and addresses privacy breaches made easier by mobile phones and social media. It combines two earlier drafts, one submitted by the Shura Council and the other by the government in 2019, now brought together as a single text. Version Parliament's Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee has backed the version adopted by the upper chamber. The proposed changes would criminalise a range of behaviour, including eavesdropping, filming people in private settings without consent, and sharing personal material, even if accurate, when it causes harm. The base penalty is imprisonment and a fine between BD500 and BD1,000. Punishment If the act involves public sharing or matters related to honour, the punishment may rise to five years in prison and a BD5,000 fine. The current law, unchanged since 1976, imposes a maximum of six months in prison or a BD50 fine for publishing details of someone's private or family life in a way that causes harm. The committee noted that such penalties no longer reflect how quickly and widely such material can now spread. Clause The Shura Council's version introduces a clause that allows consent to be presumed when the act occurs during a meeting in front of the affected person and no objection is raised. Legal proceedings under the new provisions may only begin if the victim, their legal guardian or heir files a complaint. If there is no guardian, or a conflict of interest arises, the public prosecutor may step in. Chambers Both chambers have already agreed on most parts of the draft, including the title, preamble and several articles. The dispute centres on the wording of Articles 370 and 372.
Daily Tribune
13-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Shura to discuss traffic fines and cheque payment changes
Two proposed laws on traffic fines and cheque payments will be discussed in the Shura Council today, with one already expected to be rejected. The Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee has recommended voting down an amendment to Article 56 of Bahrain's 2014 Traffic Law. The committee warned that the proposed changes would weaken enforcement and risk undermining road safety. At present, the law includes both financial penalties and prison terms for road offences that amount to crimes. The committee said these measures are intended to deter reckless behaviour and to protect both people and property. It argued that fines must remain enforceable to serve their purpose. If drivers start treating them as optional, the deterrent value is lost. The proposed changes, which would soften the approach to enforcement, were seen as likely to reduce the law's effectiveness. The report also pointed to a conflict with the principle of graduated penalties and the quick settlement option already available under the third paragraph of the article in question. In the same session, councillors are expected to examine a second draft law to amend Commercial Law. This measure focuses on how banks handle cheques when there are not enough funds to cover the full amount. The Financial and Economic Affairs Committee has supported the proposal. It would allow for partial payments to be made rather than returning the cheque unpaid. The remaining sum could then be reclaimed through existing procedures.
