Shura Council opts for tech bans and rehabilitation instead of prison in child sentencing bill

TDT | Manama

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Shura Council yesterday passed a draft law that would allow judges to order tech restrictions or psychiatric care in place of prison for children, although questions were raised in the chamber about the near-total absence of any parental role.

The law will now be sent to the elected chamber for further review. If it passes there, it will go to the Cabinet, and from there to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

The bill amends the 2021 law on reform justice and protection from maltreatment, and introduces a wider set of non-custodial penalties.

Judges will be given greater scope to tailor sentences around the child’s condition, behaviour, and needs, instead of relying on standard punishment.

Among the new measures are bans on visiting certain websites, compulsory attendance at police stations during fixed hours, and referral to health or psychological care institutions.

Full responsibility

The legislation also hands the Ministry of Interior full responsibility for carrying out both prison sentences and their alternatives.

“It’s a step forward,” said Dr Fatima Abduljabbar Al Koohiji, the committee’s rapporteur. “It puts the Child Protection Centre into the judicial process, expands the tools available to the court, and brings in the Interior Ministry to support enforcement.”

Judges will also be able to review progress while a sentence is being served, and may cut it short or replace it if needed. The rules apply to felony cases as well, provided the offence was committed under extenuating circumstances.

But not everyone on the council was convinced that the law had gone far enough.

“Where are the parents in all this?” asked Abdulla Al Nuaimi during the session.