Bahrain cinemas that admit underage children to be fined

Manama: Cinemas that allow children to watch films inappropriate for their age will be fined BD500 under a draft children's law to be discussed by Bahrain's parliament on Tuesday.

According to the draft, cinemas and show halls should post, both in Arabic and English, the rating of the movie or the show to ensure that underage children are not brought in by their parents or allowed inside to watch them.  

Publishers of books, magazines and other audio and visual material aimed for children but containing material inappropriate for them will also face legal action and will be made to pay fines up to BD500, the draft law said. The material will be confiscated.

The measures are part of a drive by parliament and the authorities to ensure that children do not access offensive and inappropriate material.

Bahrain, boasting dozens of movie theatres, has a thriving cinema industry with Bahraini, Gulf and expatriate movie-goers as the driving force behind it.

Thousands of Saudis and Saudi-Arabia-based expatriates drive during weekends over the 25-kilometre King Fahad Causeway to Bahrain to watch films. Theatres are banned in Saudi Arabia.

In their debate on Tuesday, the 40 MPs in the lower house will also review a clause that stipulates that the state is responsible for the integration of handicapped children and the provision of social care, health services and education. The children's families will also receive social, medical and educational services from the state.

Under the draft law, the social development ministry will set up a special committee that will oversee child adoption procedures.

Orphans or children with unknown parents will be adopted by Bahraini Muslim families that will provide them with social, psychological, health and vocational care and offer genuine compassion, according to the draft.

A clause calls for the establishment of a fund that will be used to provide care to children with special needs. The fund, to be set up by a decree, will be under the social development ministry.

Each of the five governorates will build a cultural complex for children that includes clubs, libraries, a cinema and a theatre.