Legal action against bid to incite public: Ministry

Taking up the cudgels for the security measures taken by Saudi Arabia, the Interior Ministry of Bahrain yesterday announced that legal action would be taken against those attempting to use the recent verdicts in Saudi Arabia to heighten sectarian tensions or to incite violence.

Article 215 of the Bahrain penal code states: “A punishment of imprisonment for a period of not more than two years or a fine of not more than BD 200 shall be inflicted upon any person, who makes defamatory statements in public against a foreign country or an international organisation based in the State of Bahrain or its president or representative.”

“The Ministry will not accept interference in any form in the verdicts of the Saudi judiciary or any other friendly countries. The Ministry will take legal action against any interference in the security of GCC countries and violators will be held legally accountable as per security and legal commitments between GCC countries,” the Ministry informed in a statement.

It also urged the public to seek information from official sources and avoid misusing social media to spread false and misleading information in an attempt to incite sectarianism or violence.   

Quoting the Article 168 of the penal code law, the Ministry stated that “imprisonment for a period of no more than two years and a fine not exceeding BD200 or either penalty shall be the punishment for disseminating false reports.” 

Meanwhile, security forces used teargas to disperse illegal gatherings in several areas of the Kingdom yesterday. Vandals blocked entrances and roads of villages like Sitra, Al Dair and Sehla.