Manama: Bahraini lawmakers voted Tuesday to change the constitution to allow civilians to be tried in military courts.
The decision by the 40-seat Council of Representatives, the elected lower house of the Gulf nation's National Assembly, comes after a royal decree in January restored the power of its domestic spy service to make some arrests.
Bahrain's government declined to comment as the bill had yet to be approved by the full National Assembly.
The bill revises a portion of Bahrain's constitution by removing limitations on who military courts can try. During the council's session, Brig. Gen. Youssuf Rashid Flaifel, the head of the country's military courts, told lawmakers the change is needed as the nation is "fighting terrorism."
Lawmakers voted 31-1 to pass the constitutional amendment, with three members on hand not voting. The bill now heads to the 40-member Consultative Council, a body appointed by Bahraini King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa.
