Parliament passes revised draft law criminalising invasion of privacy

TDT | Manama

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A revised bill from the Shura Council has been passed by Parliament, making it a criminal offence to secretly record private conversations, film accident victims, or share intimate details of someone’s life.

In serious cases, offenders could face up to five years in prison and a fine of BD5,000. The bill amends Bahrain’s Penal Code, focusing on Articles 354, 370 and 372.

It draws together two earlier drafts, one put forward by the Shura Council and the other by the government, and presents them as a single law.

Final version

The Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee backed the final version.

MP Mohammed Al Ma’arafi, a member of the committee, said the proposal was part of a wider push to improve legal protection for privacy.

He added that the committee had held 27 meetings during the current session, much of that time spent reviewing and debating the Penal Code changes.

Behaviour

The new law covers a range of behaviour. Eavesdropping, filming people without their knowledge in private or compromising settings, and sharing personal material, even if accurate, can lead to prosecution if it causes harm.