Shura Panel Reviews 24 Laws and Treaties

TDT | Manama

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The Shura Council’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee completed 24 reports in the fourth session of the sixth legislative term, covering decree-laws, draft laws, treaties and one proposed cybercrime amendment. The committee, chaired by Dr Ali Al Rumaihi, held 16 meetings during the session. Its work covered five decree-laws, 18 draft laws and one proposed law.

It said the measures dealt with traffic rules, the Penal Code, criminal procedure, public security, identity cards, reform and rehabilitation, anti-money laundering, terrorism financing, GCC road transport, tax treaties, air services, investment protection and international legal co-operation.

The committee said it had kept its work focused on laws tied to Bahrain’s foreign affairs, defence and security, as well as the country’s regional and overseas links.

It added that it would keep working with government bodies and other parties on laws linked to Bahrain’s security, interests and development plans, under His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and with the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

Among the decree-laws reviewed was Decree-Law No. 30 of 2025 amending parts of the Traffic Law issued by Law No. 23 of 2014.

The committee also completed reports on Decree-Law No. 31 of 2025 amending the Penal Code, Decree-Law No. 32 of 2025 amending the Criminal Procedure Law, and Decree-Law No. 36 of 2025 amending the law on banning and fighting money laundering and terrorism financing.

A fifth decree-law, No. 35 of 2025, dealt with Bahrain’s approval of the unified GCC law on international road transport.

The draft laws reviewed by the committee included Parliament’s decision on the Shura Council’s decision over a bill amending Article 56 of the Traffic Law.

It also examined a draft law amending the Public Security Forces Law, attached to Decree No. 26 of 2025, and a draft law amending Article 3 of Law No. 46 of 2006 on identity cards.

Further bills dealt with amendments to the Penal Code, attached to Decree No. 68 of 2025, and to the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution Law, attached to Decree No. 69 of 2025.

Traffic law amendments also took up part of the committee’s work. It reviewed a bill adding a new Article 19 bis to the Traffic Law, as well as a separate bill amending Article 19 of the same law.

The committee said treaties and overseas agreements formed another part of its work, with several reports tied to Bahrain’s diplomacy, trade and legal links.

These included the draft law ratifying the Makkah Al Mukarramah Convention for OIC member states on co-operation in enforcing anti-corruption laws.

The committee also completed reports on double taxation agreements with Saudi Arabia and Jersey, air services agreements with Kyrgyzstan, the establishment of the International Dates Observatory’s headquarters in Bahrain, and a host country agreement with the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

Other agreements reviewed included an amendment to the treaty establishing the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries and accession to the Locarno Agreement on international classifications for industrial designs.