“It is a financially and administratively independent organization which receives citizens’ complaints in case any employee of the Ministry has committed any sinful conduct or act,” Ombudsman told a Press conference after the official launch his office.
The office of the Ombudsman has been created upon recommendation of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI).
Nawaf Al-Maawda said that the Secretariat works to ensure compliance with the Kingdom’s laws and professional standards stipulated in the Policing Code of Conduct as well as administrative by-laws which govern the performance of civilian employees in the Ministry part of whose work mechanisms is to inform the competent authority in the Ministry of Interior to take disciplinary actions against violators.
He stressed that the General Secretariat for Grievances ensures privacy when dealing with complaints it examines without disclosing them under any circumstances, according to the law.
He added that anybody, citizen or resident expatriate, can lodge a complaint and also foreign Embassies, Consulates and Diplomatic Missions accredited in the Kingdom of Bahrain can lodge complaint(s) on behalf of any member of their community after obtaining a prior written power of attorney from the complainant.
As part of the reform project initiated by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa; and, under the auspices and in the presence of Minister of Interior, Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) today announced the launching of the General Secretariat for Grievances during a ceremony attended by a number of senior officials and accredited ambassadors.
The General Secretary of the General Secretariat for Grievances, Nawaf Al-Ma’awada, said that the General Secretariat of the Ombudsman has been created in compliance with Royal Decree No.: 27/2012 and its amendments as per Royal Decree No.: 35/2013, adding that the Secretariat’s launching comes upon recommendation of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) (vide BICI recommendations Nos. 17171 and 1722).
In his speech during the ceremony, Al-Ma’awda added that the launching of the General Secretariat for Grievances in Bahrain constitutes a valuable addition to the impeccable track record of democratic feats in the Kingdom, highlighting the Secretariat as an independent organization in the Ministry of Interior which comes as a step on the path of ancient democracies and whose creation comes as part of the work of the Kingdom’s set of institutions which consecrates human rights, values of justice and the rule of law.
The General Secretariat for Grievances receives oral or written complaints from anybody who claims to have sustained a sinful (incriminating) act of whatsoever sort on the part of public security personnel because or during the course of exercising their jurisdiction, Al-Ma’awda affirmed adding that the Secretariat exercises its powers and duties fully independently, honestly, transparently and responsibly regarding all complaints lodged to it, and that anybody – whether he/she is a citizen or resident or visitor – can lodge a complaint under the Secretariat’s jurisdiction. The General Secretariat for Grievances has been created by Royal decree as a financially- and administratively independent supervisory body in compliance with the Kingdom’s Constitution, laws and Police Code of Ethical Conduct and which has power to visit prisons and places of detention.
During the launching ceremony, the Secretariats website was also launched. The Secretary General of the General Secretariat said that the door is open to receive all complaints from any citizen or resident in person at the Secretariat’s temporary headquarters in Seef district now or at the five Governorates or via e-mail: complaints@ombudsman.bh.