Hassan Al -Sitry
The children’s category is considered one of the most used categories for electronic programs and available applications, which makes them vulnerable to receiving inappropriate content that in turn may lead to the spread of serious negative phenomena. These phenomena may cause major psychological and health damage, such as e -bullying, threat, extortion, grooming, and other crimes associated with electronic space.
In the recent period, the cases announced by the Ministry of Interior and the Public Prosecution have increased significantly on extortion and harassment incidents targeting children over the Internet, despite the ongoing awareness campaigns aimed at warning against the seriousness of this phenomenon. Article 57 of the Child Law states that “the work of luring and exploiting children through the electronic network” Internet “and other modern means of communication in matters contrary to public morals and public order, or not commensurate with their ages, is criminal works.
Article 66 of the same law states that “without prejudice to any more severe punishment stipulated in any other law, he is punished with imprisonment and a fine or one of these two penalties, everyone who lured the children, and exploits them through the electronic network” the Internet “in matters contrary to public morals. Article 53 of the Correctional Justice Law and protecting them from ill -treatment also stipulates that “with no prejudice to any severe penalty stipulated in any other law, whoever sexually harasses a child with foreplay or shows the awrah or deceived him to watch pictures or pornographic films in any way, including the Internet or other information networks.”
In this regard, lawyer Farid Ghazi explained that the penalties stipulated in Bahraini law are sufficient to deter the harassers, with the judge enjoy the authority to tighten the penalties based on the seriousness of the crime. He also indicated that crimes such as harassment, extortion and electronic exploitation are subject to an accurate evaluation of the judge to determine the extent of the incident and take appropriate measures for the criminal committed.
He pointed out that modern technologies open a door for harassment and extortion, which requires strict control on electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets used, whether in learning or general use. He emphasized the role of the family in monitoring and preventing children from reaching sites that may make them vulnerable to blackmail or exploitation, stressing the activation of the role of parents and those who are assumed to protect the child.
The lawyer also stressed the need to educate children about how to use electronic devices safely, in addition to providing special awareness guidelines for them to ensure that they are not a victim of these crimes. He pointed to the importance of the parents ’role in this process to ensure that they teach the correct behaviors.
With regard to treatment, the lawyer explained that dealing with these crimes requires an integrated therapeutic system that includes the legislative, legal and judicial aspects, in addition to psychological and religious support. He stressed the sensitivity of the psychological situation of children who are harassed, calling for the speedy reporting of such cases and also indicated the development of means of reporting electronic crimes that have become more easy to reach, demanding not to invoke obstacles and take positive steps to address the psychological situation of affected children.
Lawyer Ghazi stressed that family control is the basis for preventing the occurrence of these crimes, pointing to the importance of spreading awareness and permanent guidance for children and effective monitoring, especially for girls due to the moral and social sensitivity related to the impact of these facts on them compared to boys.
Recently, the Public Prosecution received a notification from the Child Protection Unit in the electronic space of the General Administration for Anti -Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security at the Ministry of Interior, stating that a 16 -year -old girl was exposed to sexual exploitation by defendants who contacted them through social media, and sent them naked with the illusion of marrying her.
It also received a notification from the Child Protection Unit in the electronic space of the General Administration of Anti -Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security at the Ministry of Interior that a 15 -year -old girl – to lure and electronic exploitation by an unknown use of a social media programs, has been able, through research and investigation, to determine the identity of the user of that account.
It also received a notification from the Child Protection Unit in the electronic space of the General Administration of Anti -Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security that the guardian of a child is reported to report that his son was subjected to luring and an attempt to exploit by an account owner in one of the social media applications, and the unit was able, through research and investigation, to identify the user of that account.
It should be noted that last December, the organizers and participating in the national awareness campaign to protect children from electronic exploitation and extortion (protection) announced the end of the activities of its subject program to achieve the goals of the campaign, which significantly reflected the solidarity and cooperation between the various authorities and institutions of the Kingdom to protect the best interests of the child and preserve his rights.
The campaign was launched by the Public Prosecution, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, the Ministry of Information, and in cooperation and partnership with the General Secretariat of the Supreme Judicial Council, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Information and E -Government Authority, the National Human Rights Corporation, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, the Institute of Judicial and Legal Studies, the National Communication Center, as well as a number of community organizations Civil.
The campaign aimed to raise awareness of the risks of children being exposed to electronic exploitation and extortion, to raise the censorship index of parents and the child’s responsibility, the procedures that must be followed to provide a safe environment for the child, reduce his occurrence as a victim of illegal practices, and to educate the optimal behavior in the event of the child is a victim, and to emphasize the importance of reporting these crimes while providing complete confidentiality, and ways of legal protection both for children Victims or for the amounts.
The campaign recommended the establishment of a joint committee to study the existing national legislation to discuss the extent of its adequacy in combating the actions of the exploitation of children and their blackmail electronically, leading to proposals to provide the maximum protection of children, which may lead them from risks across the electronic space, and consider what can be created technically or procedurally, to complete the system of combating electronic crime, especially on children, and raising the level of consciousness Technical parents to enhance their capabilities to ensure the safe use of the Internet.
The organizers have recommended all the ministries and institutions of the Kingdom in awareness activities to provide protection for the child and achieve his best interests.
