A proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedures Law of 2002 aims to give defendants and the Public Prosecution more time to appeal criminal orders.
Submitted by Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, it proposes extending the objection period to one month, up from the current seven days.
Under the proposed change, which would be debated during Parliament’s weekly session on Tuesday, both the Public Prosecution and other parties would have 30 days to file an objection – counted from the date the order is issued for prosecutors and from the date of notification for defendants or other affected parties.
“The aim is to strengthen justice by ensuring that individuals have sufficient time to review and understand the legal consequences of a criminal order,” said Dr Al Nuaimi.
“Seven days is too short a period for many defendants to consult their lawyers or prepare their objections properly.”
He explained that the amendment would make the judicial process “more humane and fair”, particularly in cases where defendants face logistical or financial difficulties that may prevent them from responding within the current timeframe.
The committee, chaired by Hassan Bukhammas, supported the amendment, describing it as a “measured and reasonable” update that enhances procedural justice without undermining the efficiency of the legal system.
While the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry warned that the proposal could slow down the swift resolution of minor cases, which is the core purpose of the criminal order system, other institutions, including the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) and the Bahrain Bar Society, welcomed the change.
The NIHR stated that the proposal supports the right to effective remedy and aligns with international human rights standards, while the Bahrain Bar Society said it would “help achieve justice by giving all parties sufficient time to prepare their cases”.
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