The move aims to prevent assaults against security personnel or their relatives, in line with the Interior Minister’s statement that it is not fair that policemen and their families are attacked while carrying out their duty in defence of the cherished nation.
In his explanatory memo, MP Dr. Jamel Saleh said that rioting over the past few days has witnessed an escalation in violence and the targeting of on-duty policemen who have been attacked with sharp objects and Molotov cocktails by the rioters or even run over.
He also explained in his note that policemen should be treated as a civil servants or public officers, and, therefore, a prison sentence should be inflicted upon he/she who assaults them while on-duty, in line with articles (219) and (222) of the Penal Code.
“However, the penalty stipulated in those articles is not deterring enough in these days, in light of the current situation in the kingdom,” MP Dr. Jamel Saleh said, approving the Interior Minister’s suggestion that prison punishment should be toughened to reach up to 15 years.
Chapter 2 of the Penal Code: Assaulting Civil Servants,
Article 219 reads: “A prison sentence shall be the penalty for any person who asks or has accepted for himself or for others a gift or privilege of any kind or a promise to be given any of the above by alleging that such thing is a bribery for a civil servant that he has the intention of retaining or for the use of an actual or alleged influence to obtain, or to attempt to obtain from any public authority or from any of the agencies mentioned in Article 107 any business, orders, judgements, obligation, license, supply agreement, contract, office, service or benefit of any kind.”
Article 220: “A prison sentence for a period not exceeding five years shall be penalty for every person who uses force, violence or threat against a civil servant or officer entrusted with a public service with a view to unjustifiably force him to carry out or to refrain from carrying out one of the duties of his office without revealing his intention. Should an offender declare his intention, he shall be liable for imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years.
The punishment shall be a prison sentence in both cases if the crime is committed with premeditation or by more than one person or by a person carrying a weapon.”
Article 221: “Imprisonment shall be the penalty for any person who commits any of the acts provided for in the first Paragraph of Article 339 against a civil servant or an officer entrusted with a public service during or by reason of carrying out his duties or offering his services.
The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or a fine of no more than BD 200 if the assault committed is not of the aforesaid magnitude.
The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period of no less than one year if the assault is committed against a judge.
In any of the crimes set forth in the preceding paragraphs is committed with premeditation or by more than one person or by a person carrying a weapon; this shall be considered as an aggravating circumstance.”
Article 222: “A punishment of imprisonment for a period not exceeding 6 months and a fine not exceeding BD 50 shall be inflicted upon any person who offends with the use of signs, saying, writing or by any other method a civil servant or officer entrusted with a public service during or by reason of carrying out the duties of his office or service. The punishment shall be imprisonment for no less than three months or a fine of at least BD 50 if the offence takes place during the convening of a court sitting and is intended against the panel of judges or against the members of the said panel.”