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More than 30,000 people, especially parents and children, have benefited from a national cybersecurity campaign aimed at protecting youngsters from online blackmailers and extortionists.
The ‘Himaya’ (Protection) initiative, launched in July last year, has concluded with a number of proposals to enhance cybersecurity.
It was organised by the Interior Ministry and the Public Prosecution in co-operation with a number of government agencies such as the ministries of Education, Justice and Islamic Affairs and Information Affairs.
Other institutions that were involved included the Supreme Judicial Council’s General Secretariat, the Youth Affairs Ministry, Information and eGovernment Authority, National Institute for Human Rights and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, among others.
The proposals include the establishment of a joint committee to study existing national legislation to determine the adequacy in combating acts of child exploitation.
“The provision of maximum possible protection for children in cyberspace is a necessity,” said the Public Prosecution.
“We also need to consider the development of a technical system to combat cybercrimes aimed at children.
“The level of technical awareness among parents need to be raised so that they have the knowledge to ensure the safe use of the Internet for their children.
“Finally, all ministries and institutions in the kingdom should continue with awareness activities for children and parents to teach them how to protect themselves online.”
The campaign worked at raising awareness of the risks that children could face online, especially electronic extortion and blackmail.
The importance of reporting such crimes to provide a safe environment for the child was also highlighted.
Awareness lectures were held, educational bulletins were issued and a number of television and radio interviews targeting children and parents were conducted, with more than 30,000 people reportedly benefiting from them.
As part of the campaign, parents were urged to supervise their children’s use of electronic devices including mobile phones, tablets and video games to protect them from online predators.
Attorney General Dr Ali Al Buainain thanked the organisers and institutions involved in the campaign for their efforts.
The authorities continue to urge parents of children who are being victimised online to report abuses immediately.
They can contact the Social Development Ministry’s Child Protection Centre by calling the 998 hotline, or emailing them at cpc@social.gov.bh.
Alternatively, they can contact the Interior Ministry’s General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security using the 992 hotline, or the Cyberspace Child Protection Unit, or calling 17108050.
Additionally, they can send a text message on WhatsApp at 33523300 or email the unit at cpcu@interior.gov.bh.
The GDN reported that since the beginning of 2023, authorities have dealt with about 165 cases involving child exploitation, with 66 per cent of the victims being aged 15 and under.
Bahrain joined Interpol’s International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database in June last year in line with the directives of Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, designed to support experts working on cases involving the sexual and online exploitation of children.
In August last year, an expatriate who blackmailed and threatened children and forced them to send him explicit images of themselves was jailed for three years by the High Criminal Court. The Pakistani man was convicted of sexual harassment and blackmailing young girls and possessing pornographic materials involving them.
He was arrested following a report by the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security’s Cyberspace Child Protection Unit.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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