Bahrain has a new law that will protect children or mentally ill people from danger or abuse.

His Majesty King Hamad yesterday (July 8) issued the law amending article 320 of the penal code dating back to 1976, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Under the amended law, exposing to danger a child below seven years old or a person incapable of protecting himself for health or mental reasons would mean three months jail and/or a fine of BD100 ($263).

Anyone who forces someone to commit such acts will also face the same penalties.

Violators will be sentenced to a minimum of one year in prison, if the crime is committed in a place empty of people. - TradeArabia News Service