Bahrain Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal

Defamation in Bahrain is treated as both a civil wrong and a criminal offence. Criminal libel and slander sit in articles 364 to 372 of the Penal Code (Decree-Law No. 15 of 1976), online insult is reached through Law No. 60 of 2014 on Information Technology Crimes, and a victim can claim compensation for moral harm to honour and reputation under the Civil Law (Decree-Law No. 19 of 2001).

What counts as defamation in Bahrain

Bahraini law splits defamation into two main forms. Article 364 of the Penal Code covers libel, defined as accusing another person, by any method of publication, of an act that exposes them to legal penalty or to contempt. Article 365 covers slander, meaning publication that affects a person's honour or integrity without making a specific accusation. Article 366 deals with insults committed by telephone or face to face in the presence of a third party. The law applies to written, spoken, broadcast, and electronic communications, including social media. Courts have generally held that liability turns on a statement that lowers the person in the eyes of others and is communicated beyond the victim, with the relevant article fixing how the conduct is classified and punished.

Criminal defamation and penalties

Criminal defamation in Bahrain is found in the Penal Code chapter on libel, slander, and divulging secrets. Under article 364, libel is punishable by imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to BD 200; the penalty rises to imprisonment and a fine where the libel targets a public servant in the discharge of their duties, harms family reputation, or pursues an illegal purpose, and publication in a newspaper is an aggravating circumstance. Article 365 punishes slander by up to two years imprisonment and a fine of up to BD 100, with the same aggravating factors. Article 366 sets a lower tier, up to six months imprisonment or a fine of up to BD 50, for insults by telephone or in person before a third party. Article 370 separately punishes publishing private or family-life material, even if true, by up to six months and/or a fine of up to BD 50.

Watch out: Article 370 makes publishing private or family-life material an offence even when the content is true, so truth does not automatically protect a privacy-disclosure publication in Bahrain.

Defences

Article 367 of the Penal Code provides the main truth defence: there is no crime where the defendant proves the truth of an accusation made against a public servant or person entrusted with public service, where the matter is connected to that office or service, but no such proof is allowed if the incident is more than ten years old. For private individuals, truth is not a freestanding defence. Article 368 protects statements made by litigants in their verbal or written defence before courts or investigating authorities, within the limits of the right of defence. Article 369 protects good-faith reports of legally accountable conduct to judicial or administrative authorities. A defendant relying on any of these exceptions must plead and establish it.

Online defamation

Online and social-media defamation in Bahrain can be prosecuted under the ordinary Penal Code articles, which apply to any method of publication, and additionally under Law No. 60 of 2014 on Information Technology Crimes, which addresses offences committed through information technology and electronic means. A defamatory post, message, or comment shared electronically can therefore engage both the Penal Code and the IT crimes law. Authorities have publicly warned that misuse of social media, including insult and defamation, can lead to criminal liability. Because the IT crimes law and the Penal Code can both apply, the same online statement may attract more than one charge.

Watch out: The official text of Law No. 60 of 2014 is published in Arabic, and precise article-level penalties for online insult are best confirmed against the current Arabic gazette text or qualified local counsel before relying on a specific figure.

Civil liability and remedies

A person defamed in Bahrain can also sue for civil damages under the Civil Law (Decree-Law No. 19 of 2001). Bahraini civil law allows compensation for moral as well as material damage, and moral damage expressly includes harm to a person's honour, reputation, and social standing. A civil claimant must generally show a wrongful act, damage, and causation. Awards are assessed by the court rather than fixed by a published cap, and a victim may also seek compensation as a civil claimant within the criminal case. In a criminal defamation case the result is a sentence of imprisonment, a fine, or both, while it is the civil action that produces a money award to the victim.

Limitation and how a claim is brought

Defamation against a private individual in Bahrain is generally pursued on the complaint of the victim, and under the Code of Criminal Procedure a complaint in such personal-action cases will generally not be accepted more than three months after the victim learns of the offence and the offender, unless the law provides otherwise. The complaint is filed with the Public Prosecution, which may refer the matter to the criminal courts, while a civil claim for damages is filed in the civil courts or joined to the criminal proceedings. As of 2026, given the short complaint window for criminal defamation, a person who believes they have been defamed should act quickly and is often advised to begin with a formal demand for an apology, correction, and removal of the content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is defamation a crime in Bahrain?

Yes. Defamation in Bahrain is a criminal offence under articles 364 to 366 of the Penal Code (Decree-Law No. 15 of 1976). Libel under article 364 carries up to two years imprisonment or a fine of up to BD 200, and slander under article 365 carries up to two years and a fine of up to BD 100.

What is the punishment for defamation in Bahrain?

Under article 364, libel is punishable by up to two years imprisonment or a fine of up to BD 200. Slander under article 365 carries up to two years and a fine of up to BD 100, and insult by phone or in person under article 366 carries up to six months or a fine of up to BD 50. Penalties increase where a public servant is targeted.

Is online defamation illegal in Bahrain?

Yes. Online and social-media defamation can be prosecuted under the Penal Code, which applies to any method of publication, and additionally under Law No. 60 of 2014 on Information Technology Crimes. The same post can engage both laws.

Can you sue for defamation in Bahrain?

Yes. A person harmed by defamation can claim damages under the Civil Law (Decree-Law No. 19 of 2001), which allows compensation for moral harm including damage to honour and reputation. The civil claim can be brought in the civil courts or joined to a criminal case.

Is truth a defence to defamation in Bahrain?

Only in limited situations. Under article 367, a defendant can prove the truth of an accusation made against a public servant where it relates to their official duties, but not if the incident is more than ten years old. For private individuals, truth is generally not a complete defence.

What is the time limit to file a defamation complaint in Bahrain?

For defamation against a private individual, a criminal complaint generally must be filed within three months of the victim learning of the offence and the offender, under the Code of Criminal Procedure, unless the law provides otherwise. A civil damages claim follows the Civil Law limitation rules.

Does Bahrain punish disclosing someone's private life?

Yes. Article 370 of the Penal Code punishes publishing news, photographs, or comments about a person's private or family life, even if true, where the publication is offensive, by up to six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to BD 50.

Is defaming a public official treated more harshly in Bahrain?

Yes. Under articles 364 and 365, defamation or slander against a public servant in the discharge of their duties, or that harms family reputation or pursues an illegal purpose, is an aggravated form of the offence, and publication in a newspaper is treated as an additional aggravating circumstance.