Rehabilitation not employment

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Rehabilitation and training programmes could soon become compulsory for prisoners in Bahrain, under a new government-drafted amendment now before Parliament.

The proposed change replaces the previous term “employment” with “rehabilitation and training”, signalling a shift in focus from prison labour to structured, skills-based programmes aimed at reintegration.

The Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee has been assigned as the main panel to review the amendment, while the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee will also provide input.

Under the new text, all inmates would be required to take part in rehabilitation and training programmes, except for remand detainees and those whose medical conditions prevent participation. Where possible, the programmes should match an inmate’s existing craft or professional background.

Executive regulations would define the types of programmes offered, their duration, maximum working hours, allowances and eligibility criteria. They would also outline the conditions for training conducted outside correctional centres, in coordination with relevant authorities.

The draft further addresses civil liability, stating that inmates would be protected in cases of occupational injuries or professional illnesses arising during participation in rehabilitation and training activities.

A memorandum from the Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission links the amendment to remarks from the International Labour Organization’s expert committee, which had raised concerns about provisions that could amount to compulsory labour when imposed alongside imprisonment. The memo notes that Bahrain, which joined the convention on the abolition of forced labour in 1998, is responding to those concerns through the proposed changes.

The Cabinet approved the draft for referral to the legislative authority on 17 November 2025. If passed by both chambers and ratified, the amendments would take effect the day after their publication in the Official Gazette.