Bahrain Mirror: Attorney General Ali bin Fadl Al-Buainain announced on Sunday (October 18, 2020) the establishment of a new specialized Prosecution Unit to be housed within the Public Prosecution.

The announcement follows decision 34/ 2020 to set up a Prosecution of Trafficking in Persons dedicated to investigating the crimes stipulated in Law 1/ 2008 regarding combating trafficking in persons or related to it in any other law.

This includes forced labour, withholding wages and crimes committed under the laws of the Labor Market Regulatory Authority, the regulation of tourism, beggary and homelessness, and other crimes affecting human rights and freedom in which exploitation may arise in the form of trafficking in persons.

Under the decision, members of the newly-established prosecution will follow the procedures outlined in the anti-trafficking in persons law related to the victim's legal rights, care and protection in cooperation and coordination with the relevant authorities, initiate and follow up cases at courts of various degrees, and review judgments issued therein.

The decision also assigns prosecutors to visit and report on shelters and places of residence for victims, research and study, as well as report on what investigations reveal about new methods of committing crimes. They also update the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons for consideration upon initiating control programs.

The decision instructs members of the Prosecution Unit to prepare statistics and provide the relevant national and international bodies with the required data and information within the limits permitted by law. It also establishes an electronic prosecution record system that includes the decisions related to the care and protection of victims and their execution, as well as those related to seizures, their disposal and status according to the final orders and rulings.

Arabic Version