Bahrain’s crime rate has decreased as a direct result of last year's unrest, said a top official, adding that the number of cases dropped from 102,255 in 2010 to 84,626 last year.

The Public Prosecution recorded a significant drop of more than 17,000 in the total number of cases it investigated, compared with 2010, said attorney-general Dr Ali bin Fadhel Al Buainain during a Press conference.

Criminal cases registered by the Prosecution also dropped by 203 with 938 investigated last year, down from 1,141 in 2010.

"The decrease of cases last year was a direct result of the unrest," he said. "But this is the third consecutive year we have seen a decrease of theft cases and the second year the country has witnessed a drop in drug files."

A major decline was also recorded in traffic violations, from 48,804 to 33,044.

Al Buainain also announced plans for a separate institution to focus on civil cases, including fraud, corruption and monetary transactions.

It will operate under the umbrella of the Public Prosecution, while a separate body to investigate allegations of human rights violations will be up and running in two weeks.

Appealed

"A separate Public Prosecution will be launched to look into cases involving corruption and economic crime," Al Buainain said. "Every year we recruit 20 people to continue to bring new blood into the Public Prosecution."

He said the Prosecution continued to follow up cases transferred to Bahrain's courts where it appealed against 413 verdicts, 131 of which were successful.

"This means the Public Prosecution is following up the cases in courts carefully," he added.

Al Buainain said prosecutors carried out bi-weekly visits to detention centres and prisons to review inmates' conditions.

He revealed that a woman inmate was released from prison after investigations were launched into her deteriorating health.

"During one of the visits, some of which are planned and others surprise ones, prosecutors transferred a woman to hospital because she was ill," he said. "When prosecutors were informed she had sickle cell and was in need of daily treatment, they released her from prison." – TradeArabia News Service