Meeting No (15), January 30th , 2012 – Second Convening Period – Third Legislative Term

 
The Shura Council passes Three Agreement for Avoidance of Double Taxation and prevention of financial Evasion.

The Shura Council expresses its strong condemnation of The Targeting of Public Security Personnel with the intention of harming them and condemns the regretful incident at Al-Jishi’s House.

In a statement issued at the beginning of its weekly session held on Monday, under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Mr. Ali Saleh Al-Saleh, The Shura Council Chairman, the Council condemned the regretful incident at which public security personated were targeted with the intention of causing harm to them while performing their duties, and which also targeted the house of H.E. Dr. Bahiya Jawad Al-Jishi, Second Deputy to the Shura Council Chairman. The Council strongly condemned these unlawful acts and the threat they pause to lives and public and private property, the intimidation of peaceful citizens at their homes and the spreading of chaos, violence and sabotage in residential areas, in what is clearly an unacceptable security escalation accompanied by an increase in violence during the recent days by outlaws, through the use of weapons and objects like the Molotov cocktails, steel bars, iron objects, running over by cars … etc.

The Council stressed its total rejection of these unlawful practices which are against the values of Islam, the tolerant beliefs and good manures of the people of Bahrain and the spirit of brotherhood. It rejected all forms of violence and extremism, strongly condemning the to direct targeting of the public security personnel which left dozens of them wounded. The council demanded more legal protection for the public security personnel while performing their duty, expressing its full confidence in them and their ability to maintain security in the Kingdom and protect the lives of citizens and residents alike, in accordance with the law and the principles of human rights, a role for which the public security institutions deserve a great deal of appreciation and gratitude.

The session had started by approving the minutes of the fourteenth session, where the Secretary General of the Shura Council readout the Council’s statement on the occasion of the Arab Women’s Day, falling on the First of February. The Council, in its statement, offered its congratulation to Bahraini women in particular and Arab women in general on this occasion, which presents an annual stand through which it announces its great appreciation for the efforts of Arab women in the path of development and their unlimited contributions in all fields.

On this occasion, the Shura Council reiterated that the support availed to Bahraini women by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa out of appreciation and gratitude for their contributions in the fields of work and development, has contributed towards their active presence at all national, Arab and international levels, so as to reflect the honorable image of Bahraini women at all levels.

The statement hailed the great role of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabika bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, the wife of His Majesty the King, President of The Supreme Council For Women, through her Highness’s support of the role of Bahraini women in the society, reiterating that the Shura Council will continue its efforts to support Bahraini women and empower them through laws and legislations that fall in this direction.

The next item on the agenda was to seek the final opinion on the approval of the draft law to ratify on agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the government of the Czech Republic concerning the Avoidance of Double Taxation and The Prevention of Financial Evasion from Income Taxes, annexed to the Royal Decree No. (87) of 2011, and a draft taw to ratify an agreement between the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the government of The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri-lanka concerning The Avoidance of Double Taxes, annexed to the Royal Decree No. (89) of 2011, in addition to a draft law between the government of the Kingdom of Bahraini and the Government of Georgia concerning the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Financial Evasion for Income Taxes and Capital, annexed to the Royal Decree No. (106) of 2011.

The Council then moved to the items on its agenda starting with the report by the Women & Children Affairs Committee concerning a draft law for the regulation of the work at kindergartens (prepared in the light of the proposed law presented by the Council of Representatives) where H.E. the Member Rabab Al-Arrayedh, the Committee Secretary read out the Committee’s recommendation to reject the draft law, for the Committee’s recommendation to be approved after the conclusion of discussions about the draft law.

The Council, then, considered the report by the Foreign Affairs, Defense & National Security Committee concerning a draft law to add a new article under No. (172 bis) to the Penal Law issued by Decree Law No. (15) of 1976 (prepared in the light of the proposed law presented by the Council of Representatives). H.E. the Member Mohammed Saif Jaber Al-Musallam read the Committee’s recommendation not to approve the draft law in principle.

Upon expression of opinions by the Council members about the draft law, the Council approved the Committee’s recommendation to reject the draft law.

The next item on the Council’s agenda was the report by the Foreign Affairs, Defense & National Security Committee concerning a draft law for the issuance of the Reformation & Rehabilitation Institutions Law, annexed to the Royal Decree No. (92) of 2007, and the proposed law to Regulate the Penal Installations, where H.E. The Member Ebrahim Bashmi the Committee Secretary read out its recommendation to approve the draft law in accordance with the Committee’s amendments, before the Council resolving, during its deliberations of the Draft Law to return article (1) to the Committee, approve the Committee’s recommendation about article (2) and also return article (3) to the Committee. While the Council decided to approve the Committee’s recommendations about articles (4 & 5) in addition to naming chapter three and returning article (6) to the Committee, and to continue the discussion of the draft law during to coming sessions.