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THE Shura Council will debate, and vote on, a new legislation drafted by the government to boost digital safety, during its weekly session on Sunday.
The new insertions to the 1976 Penal Code were unanimously approved by the MPs in October this year.
In a letter by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the government has previously explained the importance of protecting devices such as mobile phones, computers and tablets.
It highlighted that such devices contained personal, secret and classified information besides access to bank accounts and details of transactions.
“We are trying to maximise protection for individuals from any invasion or blackmail by using personal information hacked from devices, or tampering with gadgets to commit any form of theft or break-ins into lives,” said the letter.
Interior Ministry’s Under-Secretary for Legislative Authority Affairs Rashid Bunajma earlier told Shura’s foreign affairs, defence and national security committee that protection is an ongoing security commitment.
“We will continue fighting cybercrime in all its forms,” he said.
“This legislation is one of them.”
Meanwhile, Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry assistant under-secretary for state cases and international co-operation Dr Mohammed Mijbel said the new insertions will provide more protection to information, databases and personal secrets.
“Nowadays everything is saved in electronic devices and it is time that necessary protection is provided.”
Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry acting telecommunications director Mohammed Binali said the use of electronic equipment has become a way of life over the past two decades.
“It is not like there was no protection before, but a comprehensive legislative framework would ensure that offenders are punished.”
The Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission said current articles in the Penal Code, created 48 years ago, dealt with all thefts in a similar manner, without differentiating between the means or harms.
However, with the high level of sophistication, intelligence and accessibility that comes with modern devices, tougher punishments have to be drawn up.
Under the new law, cyber criminals could face punishments of up to two years in jail or fines of up to BD500, or both.
Any form of theft using mobile phones, computers, tablets or ‘any other electronic, magnetic, electrochemical or visual devices with the ability to send, receive, process, store and restore data’ will be punished with no less than three months in jail.
If the intent is to steal information, data or photographs, the punishment will be upgraded to no less than a year in jail.
The accused will face a maximum of two years in prison or a fine of up to BD500 if the attempted hack is from device to device.
Theft of information, data or photographs along with the equipment holding them would lead to a maximum of two years in jail, or a fine of up to BD500, or both.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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