Imprisonment and deportation of an accused of publishing indecent clips on social media in Bahrain

(CNN) - The Minor Criminal Court in Bahrain issued a ruling convicting an accused of Arab nationality, on Thursday, after he used a social media platform to publish and circulate clips that violate public morals, according to what was announced by the Bahraini Public Prosecution.

The Chief Prosecutor of Cybercrimes said in a statement that the court ruled to punish the accused with one year’s effective imprisonment, confiscate the phone used to commit the crime, and permanently deport him from Bahrain after carrying out the sentence.

According to a statement issued by the Public Prosecution, the case began after it received a report from the Anti-Cybercrime Department of the General Administration for Combating Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security, stating that an account had been monitored on a social media platform displaying contents violating public morals.

The prosecution explained that the investigations conducted by the competent authorities revealed that the accused “used to appear in clips of this type and broadcast them on social media platforms.”

Immediately upon receiving the report, the Public Prosecution began its investigations and issued an order to arrest the accused and bring him in, before interrogating him regarding the accusations against him.

According to the statement, the accused admitted what was attributed to him, and stated that he used to film those clips and broadcast them on social media “with the intention of achieving financial returns and increasing the number of his followers.”

The Public Prosecution ordered the defendant to be detained in custody and referred to the Minor Criminal Court, which issued a ruling to imprison him for one year with effect, confiscate the phone used to commit the crime, and permanently deport him from the country after serving the sentence.

The Bahraini Public Prosecution stressed that “cyberspace is subject to the authority of the law and the oversight and accountability it requires,” ensuring its use “in a safe and lawful manner.”

It warned that committing acts contrary to public morals via cyberspace exposes their perpetrators, as well as those involved in preparing or publishing them, to the legally prescribed penalties, which “may reach up to two years’ imprisonment.”

The Public Prosecution called on users of social media platforms to be aware and responsible when using them, and to adhere to laws and public morals, in line with “established societal principles and values.”