Ministry of Interior:

We will Use the Full Force of the Law

On 19 August 2010, the Minister of Interior, Sheikh Rashid bin Abdula Al Khalifa, commented on the recent arrests of tens of individuals who were involved in violence and riots and said that ‘anyone monitoring the security situation and the continued acts of incitement and vandalism during the past period, will understand the danger this causes to people’s social and economic lives as well as the harm its causes to the country’s reputation’. He pointed to the possibility of civil confrontations and the increase in the accusations against the State for not taking swift measures. He stated that ‘this has made it necessary to tackle the present security situation and put an end to the political and security lawlessness’.

With regards to increasing security measures, the Minister stated that this was carried out due to ‘the increase of vandalism even through the holy month of Ramadan’. He also pointed out that ‘an increase in dangerous acts will harm the civil peace and will have catastrophic consequences on the country, which is something that cannot risked or delayed’. He also highlighted that ‘in the past years the Government dealt with similar situations with pardon and clemency till the number of individuals who were pardoned by the King reached 2387’. In addition to this, he stated that ‘the Government’s hard work to provide a decent living for citizens including housing, health care, social benefits, improving wages and passing legislations for their interest has failed to change the behaviour of those involved in vandalism. It is also clear that some re-offend after being pardoned’.

The Minister openly announced that offenders will be brought to ‘account using the full force of the law in order to impose law and order’. He also added that ‘it should be known that the violence taking place is a serious matter and such acts are dangerous and illegal crimes which are prohibited in Islam’.