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Manama : As many as 15 complaints out of 61 that were filed by the House of Representatives against Twitter users for insulting lawmakers online were probed by the Public Prosecution, it has been confirmed yesterday.

Chief Prosecutor and Acting Chief Attorney Wael Buallay said in a press statement yesterday confirming that no crimes were committed in the 15 cases examined so far, while investigations continue in the remaining complaints.

“The Public Prosecution is concerned about the complaints and is studying them in order to take appropriate legal actions. This comes to preserve the respect of the Parliament, which represents the people of Bahrain and one of the most important authorities in the country. At the same time, the prosecution is keen on respecting and preserving the rights of freedom of expression and speech,” Buallay stated.

The official asserted that the investigations are being carried within the framework of the standards of the constitution, law and international pacts.

Buallay stated that some standards were considered in the investigations. He said freedom of expression is guaranteed, but shouldn’t be misused. The prosecutor also said that criticising the performance of the council should be in the outline of constructive criticism and not harming personal dignities of the lawmakers.

Buallay added that the identities of some of the accounts that insulted parliamentarians online are being verified in coordination with the concerned security authorities and that more updates will be announced soon.