Walid Sabri
– “Al-Watan” dialogue with the Director of the Department of Combating Human Trafficking and Protection of Public Literature in the General Administration of Investigations and Criminal Evidence at the Ministry of Interior Colonel Abdel Wahab Rashid Bounachi:- Establishing a specialized prosecutor for people trafficking issues- 45 accused and accused and the protection of 37 victims in people trafficking cases during 2024-19 cases of trafficking in persons in the first six months from 2025-31 training programs, 3 external courses and 2 workshops to combat trafficking in people in 2024-14 internal training courses and two external two and 8 search courses and investigation for the first half of 2025- Several languages mastered by the hotline workers, including Arabic, English, Hindi, and Urdu- A major criminal court to adjudicate the crimes of trafficking for the first time in the region- Center for Protection and Support of Expatriate Workers … Regional Pioneer Model since 2015- Victims Support Fund since 2018 .. Protection, qualification and empowerment of victims- A strategic partnership agreement with the United Nations to train security cadres- awareness programs and workshops inside Outside Bahrain to enhance crime control capabilities- effective community partnership through awareness campaigns and hotline in the most used languages
“The administration last year started 45 cases of trafficking in persons that resulted in the arrest of 20 accused and 25 accused, and the protection of 37 victims,” said Colonel Abdel Wahab Rashid Bounachi. Abdel -Wahab Bounai, in an interview with Al -Watan that “the administration carried out during the year 2024, (31) training programs, (3) external courses and (2) workshops, while (14) internal training courses and (2) external rounds and (8) sessions and investigation courses were organized during the first six months of 2025, stressing that“ investing in the human element is a basic priority. ”He indicated that“ the hot line for management works Several basic languages, including Arabic, English, Hindi, and Urdu to facilitate the arrival of the victims, ”explaining that“ Bahrain was the first Arab in establishing a specialized prosecutor for people trafficking issues, and the establishment of a major criminal court to adjudicate these cases for the first time in the region. ”He mentioned that“ Bahrain has established a center of protection and support for expatriate workers since 2015 as a pioneering regional model, and has established the victims support fund since 2018 to protect and rehabilitate them. And their empowerment, while the National Committee to Combat Trafficking Persons continues to coordinate the national efforts to protect the victims. Strict government policies to protect expatriate workers from any exploitation, within the framework of a royal vision and government support that establishes Bahrain’s global position in combating trafficking in people. And to the text of the dialogue: What is the strategy through which the Department of Combating Human Trafficking and Protection of Public Literature works? Punishment, protection of victims and promoting international cooperation. Here, it must be noted by the efforts made by the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons to Combat that crime, and that strategy is to develop the performance of workers in combating human trafficking and protecting public morals such as officers, non -commissioned officers and individuals through their participation in training courses and workshops to develop their skills to keep pace with the development of the crime and their success in implementing their duties with all responsibility, accuracy and confidence, where trainers are qualified according to United Nations standards, through periodic participations in the workshops and internal and external training courses that are held by the United Nations committees. The Kingdom of Bahrain occupies a global position in the field of combating trafficking in people .. Can you talk about the Kingdom’s efforts that have reached a global level in this field?- Initially it must be noted that this global position that the Kingdom of Bahrain has reached in this field came first the fruit of the directives of His Majesty the King The greatest, his vision and his keenness to establish the rules of equality and enhance human rights for all citizens and residents on the land of the Kingdom without discrimination, and with the support of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and with the follow -up of the team the first Minister of Interior, which reflects the size of the ongoing efforts made by all parties in the Kingdom of Bahrain, led by the Ministry of Interior to establish human rights values without discrimination; Because of religion, language or race, as it also came as an actual translation of the policies and directions of the Ministry of Interior in this field through several measures. The first of these procedures and the implementation of what was reported by Article (8) of Law No. (1) of 2008 regarding the fight against trafficking in persons. The Minister of Foreign Affairs No. (1) of 2008 regarding the formation of the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons Rewalked by Resolution No. (1) of 2022 AD and made its presidency of the CEO of the Labor Market Regulatory Authority, and includes in its membership representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Interior, the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Information, the Labor Market Regulatory Authority, and the National Communication Center as well as representatives of civil society organizations. The Kingdom of Bahrain has also established the Center for Protection and Support of Expatriate Labor in 2015 in order to further protection for expatriate workers and safeguard its rights, and it is the first comprehensive center for providing preventive and guidance services for expatriate workers, and includes a center for harboring victims or people who are likely to have victims of this crime, and a protection point prevents the vulnerable groups from becoming victims and finding an umbrella to accommodate expatriate workers The vulnerable or exposed to exploitation, and preserving human rights to them. Also, the Kingdom established the victims’ support fund for the necessity of providing protection and assistance to the victims of the crime of trafficking in persons, and the esteemed cabinet approved in the year 2018 AD the establishment of this fund to support the victims who cooperated with the investigation authorities in crime control and its perpetrators for the purpose of qualification and improving their living and financial conditions, and helping them start their lives again. The Kingdom of Bahrain is also the first Arab country in which there is a specialized prosecutor in cases of trafficking in persons, a step that supports national efforts to combat, and enhances the Kingdom of Bahrain’s advanced position it enjoys at the international level in combating this type of crime. The formation of the prosecution comes to provide a specialized and trained environment from members of the Public Prosecution to investigate such crimes that require them to be accurately familiar with, as it interferes with some other crimes, in addition to enhancing criminal protection for victims of trafficking in persons in a manner that guarantees the victim’s rights established by the law, and accelerating his fairness. A major criminal court has also been allocated to adjudicate the crimes of trafficking in persons stipulated in Law No. (1) of 2008, as well as the crimes received in other laws, in which one of the forms of exploitation in the crime of trafficking in persons emerge, in order to complete the role of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the anti -trafficking system. The first six months of 2025?- A response to the Human Trafficking Division of the Department of Combating Human Trade and Protection of Public Arts Values and complaints through (personal attendance, security directorates, Public Prosecution, National Committee for Combating Persons, Email of the Ministry of Interior, Embassies, phone calls on the hotline 555, secret sources, or any other parties), or on the email to report Issues of human trafficking (interior.gov.bh@555). The Department of Combating Human Trafficking and Ethics Protection is keen through the hotline or email, provided that the immediate response is at one level of performance and with the same readiness and craftsmanship. Upon receiving the communication, the patrols are sent, and the aim of this is to protect the victim through a quick response and arrest the accused, and finally the workers on the hotline (555) are mastered several languages, including Arabic, English, Hindi and Urdu. With regard to the number of reports received by the administration, they are as follows: during the year 2024 AD (45) cases, the number of accused was (20) accused and (25) accused, and the number of victims reached (37) victims. During the first six months of this year 2025 AD, the Division (19) began cases. What is the role that the National Committee to Combat Trafficking Persons plays and what are the specializations assigned to it? The Supreme Judiciary and the Persons’ Trafficking Prosecution, and the civil society in combating trafficking in persons and respecting human rights, reflecting the spirit of active national partnership and continuing pioneering achievements. The committee specializes in the following:* Setting programs on preventing and combating trafficking in persons and protecting the victims of trafficking in persons from harming them. Regarding the measures taken to combat trafficking in persons.* Follow up the implementation of the relevant government agencies for the recommendations and directives contained in the agreements and protocols related to combating trafficking in persons, in which the Kingdom is a party, and a report in this regard submitted to the Foreign Minister. For community partnership a major role in combating crimes of trafficking in persons, what is the plan set by the administration to involve the community with all its components To combat these shameful crimes? Is there cooperation and coordination between the administration, ministries and government agencies to combat this crime?- The administration is keen to activate this principle, in implementation of the directives of the team, the first of His Excellency Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior, by encouraging citizens and residents to submit communications and complaints that would help the security men in carrying out their tasks. Cooperation and coordination with several different parties are also carried out, whether parties affiliated with the Ministry of Interior or the ministries and states of the state to facilitate procedures and implement our acts in an active way. The successful administration is the one that encourages the community partnership in order to achieve the interest and raise the sense of social responsibility for everyone. The Criminal Information Division of the General Administration of Investigations and Criminal Evidence is also strengthening the community partnership, enhancing the spirit of national affiliation, consolidating the values of giving and appreciation by giving lectures in some schools and holding exhibitions in commercial complexes and awareness campaigns that coincide with the International Day to Combat Human Trafficking through Newspapers, Magazines, visual and audio media, in addition to distributing awareness leaflets showing the risks of that crime and launching a hotline Special for management. What are the services that are provided to victims of trafficking in people at the shelter center of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons? And its help in reaching a settlement or filing a lawsuit in the courts, in addition to a set of social services, and the center also has a direct communication line with a number of relevant governmental and non-governmental agencies such as the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labor and the Embassy of the States. Combating trafficking in persons, internal and external training courses that come within an annual plan issued by the Training and Operations Department at the Ministry of Interior, and these courses are held at the Royal Police Academy, in addition to participating in the regional center for training and capacity building to combat trafficking in persons, within the framework of the strategic partnership agreement signed with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. During the past year 2024, 31 training programs, 3 external courses were organized, the number of (2) workshops on combating human trafficking, and (2) awareness campaigns, in addition to organizing a number of (1) training course to combat human trafficking for workers in the front rows. During the first six months of the current year 2025 AD, 14 internal training courses, 2 external courses, and (8) courses for research and investigation in the field of combating human trafficking, and organizing a number of (2) educational lectures to combat human trafficking for workers in the front classes, in addition to a lecture entitled the advanced security work program. Is there a final word? His Excellency Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior for his valuable directives and great support to perform our mission to the fullest extent, as well as thanks to His Excellency Lieutenant General Tariq bin Hassan Al -Hassan, Head of Public Security, who spares no effort to perform our mission and our security mission, and I take this opportunity to confirm that the Department of Combating Human Trafficking and protecting public morals is fully prepared and prepared to receive any communication or complaint in this regard.
