committee writes down the voter’s choice in the presence of one of the
committee’s members on the ballot and places it in the box. A report is
drawn up and it remains confidential. Printing special ballot papers in
Braille might disclose the voter’s identity when counting the votes.
(4) Text of recommendation and summary of the competent authority’s
reply to NIHR:
Amend the provisions of Articles No (60) and No (69) of Law No. (37) of
2012 on the Child Law regarding the criminalization of the use of children
in elections, and proposing appropriate and deterrent penalties for such
dangerous criminal acts, focusing on the best interest of the child.
Summary of the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and
Endowments (Waqf) reply to NIHR:
The Ministry reported that the necessary legislative protection for the child
was granted to grow up in a sound environment suitable for his/her
shaping. In this sense, Law No. (4) of 2021 on Restorative Justice for
Children and their Protection from Maltreatment was issued to include
several provisions to protect the child from all forms of abuse and abetting
to delinquency by criminalizing all acts involving mistreatment of the child
or exploitation in any activity in violation of the law.
(5) Text of recommendation and summary of the competent authority’s
reply to NIHR:
Amend the provisions of Decree-Law No. (14) of 2002 on the Exercise of
Political Rights, as amended, to allow the candidate to choose more than
one agent to follow up on the electoral process, provided the number of
such agents does not exceed the maximum number of the public electoral
centers.
Summary of the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and
Endowments (Waqf) reply to NIHR:
The Ministry stated that, in the Law on Exercising Political Rights, as
amended, the Bahraini legislator was keen to strike a balance between
ensuring the attendance and participation of the candidate and his/her
agent and the proper conduct of the electoral process. In this sense, the
number of agents is limited to one as it achieves the purpose of the
concept of representation itself, to represent the candidate in attending
and following up on the procedures. Therefore, allowing more than one
agent is a matter that will lead to confusion and overcrowding inside the
elections headquarter, which will affect the proper functioning of the
organizational process at the polling station.
Ninth Annual Report of the NIHR
63