People facing criminal orders in Bahrain could get a month to challenge them instead of the current seven days, under a proposed legal amendment set to be debated in Parliament on Tuesday.
The bill has won unanimous backing from Parliament’s foreign affairs, defence and national security committee, chaired by MP Dr Hassan Bukhammas, despite the government’s concerns that extending the deadline could undermine the speed and efficiency of the criminal justice system.
A criminal order is a simplified procedure for dealing with certain less serious offences without a conventional public trial.
Dr Bukhammas said the proposal aimed to give defendants more time to consider their legal position before deciding whether to accept a criminal order or challenge it through the courts.
“The right to object must be meaningful, and people should have sufficient time to understand the consequences of a criminal order and decide whether to challenge it through the proper legal channels,” he said.
The amendment would change Article 277 of the 2002 Criminal Procedures Law, extending the objection period from seven days to one month from the date the order is issued for the Public Prosecution, and from the date it is notified to other parties.
If an objection is lodged within the legal deadline, the order is cancelled and the case proceeds through the ordinary court process. If no objection is filed, the order becomes final and enforceable.
The government has urged Parliament to reconsider the amendment, arguing that the existing seven-day deadline reflects the purpose of criminal orders: resolving minor cases quickly, reducing pressure on courts and speeding up the collection of fines while preserving the right to challenge the order.
It warned that extending the deadline to a full month could delay proceedings without providing a substantial additional safeguard for defendants.
The government also pointed to comparable Gulf and Arab legislation, where objection periods generally range from three to 10 days.
Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Nawaf Al Maawda agreed with the government’s objections. The National Institution for Human Rights warned that the proposed longer deadline could slow judicial proceedings and recommended retaining the existing period.
The Bahrain Bar Society, however, said it had no objection to approving the amendment.
Meanwhile, Parliament is set to refer a protocol amending the kingdom’s double taxation agreement with Bermuda to its financial and economic affairs committee for review.
The draft law, referred by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, seeks to ratify amendments to the agreement on avoiding double taxation and preventing fiscal evasion on income taxes.
The protocol was signed in Washington on April 17, 2026.
The committee is currently without a chairman or vice-chairman after MP Abdulwahid Qarata submitted a formal request questioning its formation despite having asked to serve on the committee. A vote on the committee’s formation is also set for Tuesday’s session, followed by immediate elections for the two posts.
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