Bahrain Interior Ministry may request judges for alternative penalty

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Interior Ministry is now allowed to request an executive judge to replace a penalty with an alternative measure.

The ministry will make such a request only if the action would not threaten public security.

Besides, a convicted person, if capable, should have cleared all the fines slapped by a criminal court to qualify for receiving such a penalty.

The new decision is as per Decree-law 24/2021 issued by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. It amends Article (13) of Law 18/2017 on penalties and alternative measures.

The alternative penalty will be as per Article (2) of the law. The ministry could also request to replace the penalty awarded with an alternative measure for the remaining jail term or the total number of penalties awarded. Such a request follows a consultation with the Reformation and Rehabilitation authority.

A prisoner will qualify to receive an alternative penalty for having good conduct, if not a threat to public security, and if has no fines left for payment, if capable. The execution judge will decide on the request after hearing the Public Prosecution.

The new rule will come into force upon its publication in the official gazette.

In April this year, Bahrain had replaced the prison terms of 126 prisoners with alternative measures for the remaining period of their jail terms.

That sentence also brought the overall number of inmates benefitting from the law to 3,224.

Alternative penalties include community service, house arrest, prohibition of access to a place, commitment to non-exposure or contact with persons or entities, electronic surveillance, attending rehabilitation and training programmes and repairing the damage caused by crime.