Manama: The Director of Legal Affairs at Bahrain’s Interior Ministry has denied media reports that the government was planning to repeal a law that criminalises the planting of hoax bombs.
“In fact, it is the opposite, since the government has asked for a toughening of the law in line with the other criminal acts under the antiterrorism law,” the director of legal affairs said.
“Planting a hoax bomb is currently a crime under both the penal code and the antiterrorism law, but the antiterrorism law carries a stiffer penalty. The directorate has recommended that the act of planting a fake bomb be considered only under the antiterrorism law, which carries a sentence of up to 15 years, instead of the more lenient penal code, which carries a jail term or fine or both,” he said.
The director added that the state does not tolerate acts that target the security of Bahrain, “especially those that attempt to create fear among the people.”
Under the recommendation, the courts will hand down stiffer penalties for planting hoax bombs, he added, quoted by Bahrain News Agency (BNA).
The director urged the media to be more accurate in their reporting of the news “to avoid misinformation that creates confusion and may harm security and stability, particularly in the current conditions and terrorist plots in the region.”
