‘Royal pardon reflects respect for human rights, freedoms’

The Council of Representatives has extended sincere thanks and appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for issuing a royal decree on pardoning some inmates and replacing the remaining jail sentences with non-custodial penalties for others, as well for his directives to expand the application of the law on alternative punishment and measures.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Representatives Council stressed that the royal kind gesture reflects the keenness of HM the King, as a “wise leader and father of everyone”, to grant the convicts an opportunity to come to their senses, return to the right path, participate in building the nation and abide by the laws and regulations.

“The Royal directives affirm the keenness of HM King Hamad to promote rights and freedoms, in accordance with a pioneering civilised practice, and to uphold the noble human vision, in considering the circumstances of the convicts, as well as in rehabilitating and reforming them, in their interests, as well as those of their families and society,” the statement added.

The council also discussed a report by the Services Committee on amending Article 22 of Decree-Law 25/1998 with respect to Private Educational and Training Institutions, and referred it to the Shura Council. The meeting endorsed two parliamentary proposals and referred them to the government.

They were related to establishing a health centre in Khalifa Town, acquiring an old house in Isa Town to make it a historical centre of the town, being the oldest housing project in the GCC region. The council also endorsed urgent proposals and referred them to the government.

They were related to addressing the problem of the salaries of the Interior Ministry’s security guards, and the non-inclusion of the Electricity and Water Authority among the entities obligated to provide customer information to credit information centres.

It also referred urgent proposals to the relevant committees, including the reduction of fees on government services by 50 per cent for the first-degree relatives of the late servicemen, in addition to the disbursement of housing allowances to alternative penalties’ beneficiaries who are entitled to them, and to work on returning them to their previous jobs.

The Council’s Bureau was requested to draft the statements.