Filming traffic accident may become a criminal offence

Manama : Filming or snapping pictures of traffic accidents may soon become a criminal offence as a parliamentary committee has approved a bill considering such actions as “privacy-invading” crimes.

The bill proposes fines of up to BD500 or imprisonment of six months in case of violations. The proposal excludes the people involved in the accident and accredited media personnel.

The proposal endorsed by the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee in the Council of Representatives stipulates   “punishments of imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months and a fine not less than BD50 and not exceeding BD500 or one of these penalties for individuals who film and publicise traffic accidents through any electronic or other means”.

Justifying the proposal, MP Mohammed Al Maarifi said, “People nowadays see pictures of their loved ones injured or dead even before they could be informed about it by the concerned official authorities, who are trained on how to deliver such news.”

“On top of that, crowding accident sites to take pictures and footages will only make it more stressful and difficult for the authorities concerned to save precious lives,” he said.

“To combat this alien phenomenon, we must criminalise such acts by amending the existing laws,” Al Maarifi stressed.

Besides, such actions would affect the society negatively, Al Maarifi said, as pictures are circulated against the will or knowledge of the people involved.

The committee’s report is expected to be discussed and voted on in the next few weeks, in the presence of government officials.

The committee last year received a proposal from MP Mohammed Al Maarifi, suggesting subjecting those who film and publicise traffic accidents to fines and imprisonment.

Last May, representatives of the government said that the proposed amendment is limited only to traffic accidents and didn’t tackle other mishaps.

Interior Ministry’s Legal Affairs Directorate commented that the “the proposal tackles only one side of an unwanted phenomenon” and called for generalising the act instead of limiting it to traffic accidents.

Interior Ministry’s reply to the committee included that “the amendment should include all mishaps and not only traffic accidents, such as offshore and fire accidents”.

The ministry’s reply was discussed among the council last May and majority of MPs called for returning the proposal to the committee for more studying.

The MPs opinions varied earlier, as some of them strongly supported the proposal, while others had several reservations.