Bahrain's Shura Council set to approve tougher financial crime laws

Bahrain is taking decisive steps to strengthen its defenses against money laundering and terrorism financing, with the Shura Council expected to approve key amendments to anti-financial crime legislation. The council's foreign affairs, defense, and national security committee has recommended approval of Decree-Law No. 36 of 2025, which introduces amendments to a 2001 decree-law governing the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The amendments aim to safeguard Bahrain's financial system and maintain international confidence in the kingdom's economic framework. The changes are also designed to align Bahrain's legal framework with the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), ahead of the kingdom's next mutual evaluation scheduled for March 2026.