Shura supports tougher law on advertising with BD20,000 fines

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Fines of up to BD20,000 and the prospect of private firms tearing down unlawful billboards moved a step closer yesterday after the Shura Council approved in full an overhaul of Bahrain’s advertising law, with a final vote due at its next sitting.

Members backed a draft law amending Decree-Law No. 14 of 1973 on the Regulation of Advertisements, attached to Decree No. 8 of 2025.

The move follows the Council of Representatives’ earlier support for the same text, and comes after the Shura Council’s Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee confirmed that the draft is sound in constitutional and legal terms.

Aim

Committee rapporteur Ejlal Bubshait said the changes are built around a simple aim.

“The draft law aims to reorganise the advertising sector in Bahrain so that it runs efficiently, is shielded from harmful practices and offers effective mechanisms to issue licences quickly and in an orderly way,” she said, citing the Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission’s memorandum.

On paper, the bill is short. It carries five articles and a preamble. Across the old 1973 text, general references to “the ministry” and “the minister” are replaced with “the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture” and “the Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture”.

Articles 1, 6, 10, 16 and 17 are rewritten. A new Article 14 (bis) is added, allowing some tasks to be handed to other entities with Cabinet approval.

Article 5, which had required the minister to form a committee from several bodies to oversee the law’s application, is removed. The final article deals with entry into force and implementation.

Rules

Municipalities Affairs Minister, His Excellency Wael Al Mubarak, told members the existing rules were written for another era.

“This law was issued more than fifty years ago, when the advertising market was very different. With the growth and evolution of this market, it has become necessary to develop the legislation that governs advertising,” he said, adding that the draft draws on practice abroad and on experience in Bahrain.