Bahrain to change key criminal law
Manama, April 15, 2014
Bahrain's law is being changed so that multiple suspected criminals can be tried as masterminds in the same case.
Current law dictates that only one defendant can be charged as a mastermind, while their alleged accomplices face less serious charges and shorter prison sentences, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.
However, amendments to the Penal Code approved by the Shura Council yesterday mean several people could be charged as masterminds for the same crime.
"We currently don't have the issue of multiple criminal partners and there is only one mastermind, who takes the biggest punishment while the rest are support," said Shura Council foreign affairs, defence and national security committee vice-chairman and secretary Jameela Salman.
Meanwhile, the Shura Council approved ratifying the Protocol on Rules of Origin for Trade Preferences System between member states of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation.
It aims to create appropriate conditions for the development of economic co-operation between members and to stimulate business, industrial and economic initiatives among them.
It also approved two air services agreements with Austria and Morocco. All four bills will now be ratified by His Majesty King Hamad. - TradeArabia News Service
