A new tiered system of administrative sanctions for organisations and clubs could replace current harsh penalties in order to encourage compliance, if proposed amendments are passed next Tuesday.
Parliament’s services committee endorsed a draft and MPs will debate amendments to the Decree-Law No 21 of 1989 on Associations, Clubs and Private Institutions.
A new article is set to be introduced, giving the administrative authority powers to issue warnings and impose administrative fines of up to BD50 for violations, instead of immediately resorting to harsher measures.
The existing Article 91, which currently imposes a flat fine for any breach of the law or ministerial decisions issued under it, will be scrapped.
According to data submitted by the Social Development Ministry, violations linked to Article 91 have risen from 15 in 2022, to 22 in 2023, and 24 in 2024.
These included failures to submit board and general assembly minutes in time, inaccuracies in records, not convening meetings, and not opening mandatory bank accounts.
Social Development Minister Osama Al Alawi confirmed that no other violations of the law or its implementing decisions were recorded during the same period beyond Article 91.
This has shaped the committee’s view that the current penalty framework is too rigid for administrative breaches committed by volunteer-run organisations.
Mr Al Alawi told MPs the proposed amendment comes after an impact study found an urgent need to balance enforcement with encouragement of voluntary civic work, ensuring legal red tape does not hamper association operations.
In addition, judicial safeguards have been strengthened and dismissing a board chairman or member will now require the minister to file a case before the competent court to request removal.
“The goal is not to punish associations but to regulate their work in a way that encourages compliance without paralysing volunteer efforts,” Parliament’s services committee vice-chairman MP Abdulwahid Qarata said.
“Most of these violations are procedural and committed by volunteers who do not have large administrative teams behind them.”
He added that the committee deliberately separated administrative fines from the board member removal process.
“A fine can be imposed administratively after warning, but removal from a board is a serious matter that must only happen through a court ruling that guarantees full rights of defence,” he said.
Under the new system, fines will increase for repeat violations, based on the number of breaches.
The fines will be deposited into a special fund dedicated to providing financial support to associations and private institutions.
The Youth Affairs Ministry, General Sports Authority, Bahrain Football Association and Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation have backed the proposal.
However, the Bahrain Bar Society voiced concerns that expanding the system could restrict freedoms and argued that associations already struggle to meet detailed regulatory requirements with limited resources.
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