THE risk of begging in Bahrain will be clearly spelt out in an Interior Ministry-led multi-lingual awareness campaign highlighting the penalties that law-breakers could face.
Fines of up to BD100 and 12 months behind bars are part of a package of legal measures in place to deter the practice.
Details on the education initiative were revealed yesterday by the Media and Security Culture general directorate Colonel Anas Al Shaiji on the ministry’s official social media platforms.
He reaffirmed that combating begging remains a collective social responsibility.
“Begging is an attempt to ask for money, food or any valuable item from people by pleading for favours and help in public places,” he outlined.
“Knocking on doors and asking for money is begging and selling worthless items on streets and at traffic signals for sympathy from road-users is begging.”
Previous reports indicated that a total of 573 beggars of different nationalities were arrested across Bahrain from September 2021 to September 2022.
Col Al Shaiji added that Fagin-style fields would also face punishment. The villainous character of Fagin from Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist was mean and sinister, taking homeless boys, such as Oliver, and turning them into pickpockets.
Those found guilty of inciting begging could be jailed for up to three years, in addition to paying a fine of up to BD100.
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