Bahrain Proposes Extending Criminal Order Appeal Deadline To One Month

People facing criminal orders in Bahrain could be given one month to challenge them, instead of the current seven days, under a proposed legal amendment.

 

The bill has received unanimous support from Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee, chaired by MP Dr Hassan Bukhammas, despite government concerns that extending the deadline could affect the speed and efficiency of the criminal justice system.

 

A criminal order is a simplified procedure used to deal with certain less serious offences without a conventional public trial.

 

Dr Bukhammas said the amendment was intended to give defendants more time to assess their legal position before deciding whether to accept a criminal order or challenge it before the courts.

 

He said the right to object should be meaningful, with defendants given sufficient time to understand the consequences of a criminal order and decide whether to pursue the appropriate legal remedies.

 

The proposed amendment would revise Article 277 of the 2002 Criminal Procedures Law. It would extend the objection period from seven days to one month from the date the order is issued for the Public Prosecution, and from the date of notification for other parties.

 

If an objection is filed within the prescribed period, the criminal order is cancelled and the case proceeds through the ordinary court process. If no objection is lodged within the deadline, the order becomes final and enforceable.

 

The government has urged Parliament to reconsider the proposal, arguing that the existing seven-day period serves the purpose of criminal orders by enabling minor cases to be resolved quickly, easing pressure on courts and speeding up fine collection while preserving defendants’ right to challenge decisions.

 

It warned that extending the deadline to one month could delay proceedings without offering defendants a substantial additional safeguard.

 

The government also cited comparable legislation in Gulf and Arab countries, where objection periods generally range from three to 10 days.

 

Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Nawaf Al Maawda supported the government’s objections. The National Institution for Human Rights also cautioned that the longer period could slow judicial proceedings and recommended retaining the existing deadline.

 

The Bahrain Bar Society, however, said it had no objection to the amendment.

 

Parliament To Review Bermuda Tax Agreement Protocol

 

Separately, Parliament is expected to refer a protocol amending Bahrain’s double taxation agreement with Bermuda to its Financial and Economic Affairs Committee for review.

 

The draft law, referred by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, seeks to ratify amendments to the agreement aimed at avoiding double taxation and preventing fiscal evasion in relation to income taxes. The protocol was signed in Washington on April 17, 2026.

 

The committee currently has neither a chairman nor a vice-chairman after MP Abdulwahid Qarata formally questioned its formation, despite having requested membership.