Question: Is a false report considered a crime if a report is submitted that is contrary to the truth and reality with the intention of harming someone? ?
Lawyer Jassim Ibrahim Al-Issa: The crime of false reporting is considered a serious crime with security, economic and social dimensions. The security situation that everyone experiences in the event of reporting the presence of an explosive bomb in a building crowded with people makes everyone live in a state of fear and panic, in addition to the moral losses. And the financial costs that may be incurred by vital institutions and facilities due to the cessation of their work and service, commercial and economic activities.
In a description of the frightening scene that people in the reported building may be exposed to, we see them rushing to get out of it so as not to be exposed to harm. On the other hand, we see when receiving the report how serious the police and security services are to preserve lives and the safety of citizens and residents, in rushing to the site. The report is to begin its work and ensure the safety of everyone. The issue is serious. If the report is real, this is considered a great danger to everyone.
We can legally define the crime of false reporting as informing public authorities through any means of communication, which includes attributing a punishable act to a specific person or entity with the intention of harming his reputation or creating chaos and fear among people.
Reporting a false matter is inevitably considered the basic pillar that requires an effective punishment to protect society from the seriousness of the crime of false reporting. The crime against the perpetrator is proven by the presence of criminal intent in the crime of false reporting, with his knowledge that the facts he reported are false, and that this was with the intention of harming the person against whom the report was reported.
The Bahraini legislator approved penalties of imprisonment and a fine for anyone who falsely informs one of the state authorities against any person that he has committed one of the crimes punishable by law, whether criminally or administratively, even if a lawsuit is not filed in that regard, as the offender’s intention lies in insulting and defaming a person, which results in… This is harmful both materially and morally.
The penalty may reach imprisonment in the event that a judicial ruling is issued due to this slander, so the penalty shall be criminal. The penalty may also be death if the same penalty is carried out against the slandered person. Article (234) of the Bahraini Penal Code stipulates that “the penalty shall be imprisonment, a fine, or one of the following: These two penalties shall be imposed on anyone who falsely reports the intention of abusing the judicial or administrative authority against a person in a matter that requires his criminal punishment or administrative punishment, even if this does not result in filing a lawsuit. The penalty shall be imprisonment and a fine if the slandered crime is a felony, and the penalty shall be imprisonment if the slander leads to a criminal penalty. If The penalty for slander was death, and it was actually carried out. The slanderer was also punished with death.
Al-Bilad newspaper alerts various profitable electronic news platforms to the need to be careful, as stipulated in the law concerned with protecting intellectual property rights, regarding the illegality of transferring or quoting the content of this journalistic material, even if the source is indicated.
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