Privacy law gets more teeth

Manama : Right to privacy just got stronger in the Kingdom with the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, yesterday issuing new directives to give the law enforcement authorities more powers. 

Severe penalty will be inflicted on anyone “who publicly posts news, pictures or comments related to the private or family lives of individuals, even if they are true, whenever the purpose is to offend them,” the Cabinet statement said. 

The session endorsed a draft law stipulating “a jail term of not less than three months and not exceeding one year, and a fine between BD100 and BD 500” for posting private news, comments or images to abuse others.

The Cabinet referred to the Council of Representatives a bill, prepared in light of a proposal submitted by the Shura Council, on amending some provisions of the Penal Code promulgated by Decree-Law 15/1976.

Other major decisions

The session reviewed progress made by Kingdom in the implementation of conventions, agreements and memoranda of cooperation it had signed with brotherly and friendly countries. Foreign Affairs Minister updated the Cabinet about the progress achieved, as well as about the electronic system linking the ministry and other ministries. 

The session approved a draft-law on ratifying the amended and supplementary protocol to the Air Services Agreement signed between Bahrain and the Philippines on April 13, 2017, and ordered to take all the necessary constitutional and legal procedures in order to refer it to the Legislative Branch.

The Cabinet approved a proposal to put in place guiding signs for differently abled people and requested the Ministry of Labour and Social Development to follow up on the matter.  The session approved the government’s replies to proposals on building a new school in Hunainiya and the post of assistant teacher.

Finish projects on time

Tackling developmental issues, the Premier urged authorities to expedite the implementation of the service and development projects to ensure they are completed on schedule. The Premier was reviewing the progress of the new health centre in Budaiya, the Sa’ada (happiness) Project in Muharraq and the Muharraq Suq Revamp project.

HRH the Prime Minister also gave directives to enhance the aesthetic standards of public streets in the Kingdom to reflect the urban boom. The remarks were made while discussing the development of bus waiting facilities with modern designs in line with a proposal made by the Council of Representatives.