(Bahrainis against Corruption):
A Civil Movement to Combat it

The Bahrainis against Corruption Movement demanded the Government ‘to develop, and adopt as a permanent policy, a serious plan to combat corruption and to become more transparent in handling information’. The Movement, an affiliate of the Bahrain Society for Monitoring Human Rights, announced that it established a civil coalition for the friends of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. This coincided with the release of the World Bank’s annual report regarding the indicators of Good Governance for 2009 which revealed a setback in Bahrain in all levels including: combating corruption, political representation, accountability and the quality of procedures.

The Movement stated that the civil coalition’s strategy for combating corruption will be achieved by: promoting the democratic regime which is based on the separation of powers, promoting the rule of law, adopting transparency and accountability, promoting the independence of the judiciary and liberating it from all influences that could weaken its role, activating laws relating to combating corruption, establishing an independent national committee concerned with combating corruption. This is in addition to enforcing the legislative bodies’ control and accountability role, expanding the margin of press freedom, allowing journalists to have access to information, spreading public awareness about the harms of corruption, strengthening good religious intentions in society etc.