Bahrain: Introductory country profile
This briefing provides an introduction to Bahrain's politics, human rights, trade, and international relations. It also signposts further reading.

The Public Order Bill is scheduled to have its second reading on 23 May 2022. This briefing provides background to the Bill, an overview of its main provisions, and analysis of its proposals.
Public Order Bill, Bill 008 of 2022-23 (452 KB , PDF)
The Public Order Bill (Bill 008 2022-23) was introduced to the House of Commons on 11 May 2022. The Bill’s second reading is scheduled for 23 May 2022.
The Bill would bring in three major changes to the way protests are policed in England and Wales.
A number of high-profile events at recent protests have attracted concern about the ability of police to respond to non-violent protests causing serious disruption. This has led to Government plans to reform the policing of protests.
Kit Malthouse, Minister for Crime and Policing, said the Government would make sure the police have “exactly the tools they need, from a legal and practical point of view” to respond to challenging protests.
In September and October 2021, during the passage of the Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Bill (PCSC Bill), environmental campaign group Insulate Britain held a series of co-ordinated protests. The protests involved group members blocking major roads. Several protestors glued themselves to the roads to make it more difficult for police to move them.
Following these protests, in December 2021, the Government sought to further expand the PCSC Bill by introducing a range of amendments to provide the police with greater powers to respond to this kind of event and increase the criminal sanctions available.
The amendments were rejected by the House of Lords at report stage. The Government says this has left gaps in the legislative framework for policing protests. To address those gaps, it is continuing to pursue the measures by reintroducing them through the Public Order Bill.
Policing stakeholders are supportive of some legislative change to policing protests, with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) saying that “a modest reset of the scales” between the rights of protestors and the rights of others is needed. However, the Government’s approach to protest has been highly controversial and attracted strong opposition from human rights advocates and campaign groups who have been critical of the Government’s expansion of police powers and criminal sanctions.
Commentators argue the Public Order Bill will infringe on the right to engage in peaceful protest. The penalties people could face for engaging in protest-related activity have also been criticised for being too harsh, with opponents of the new proposals arguing they could draw people into the criminal justice system unnecessarily.
Public Order Bill, Bill 008 of 2022-23 (452 KB , PDF)
This briefing provides an introduction to Bahrain's politics, human rights, trade, and international relations. It also signposts further reading.
This briefing provides an introduction to Qatari politics, human rights, trade, and international relations. It also signposts further reading.
This paper provides an overview of the constitutional status and functions of the law officers of the United Kingdom. This includes the law officers of the UK Government and those that advise the three devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.