Eight political societies yesterday took out a silent rally demanding the withdrawal of the new law for political societies that has been passed by parliament.
About 10,000 people, with their mouths covered, passed by the Government House in Manama, calling upon all societies to work together to ensure that the law is either withdrawn or replaced with a more modern law, organisers of the rally said.
The protesters stressed that the law should acknowledge the ideals of a true political environment and political group activities on the basis of a democratic set-up accepted by the international community.
The protest march culminated in a meeting at King Faisal Park, where Al Wasat Al Arabi Society president called upon the participants to exert pressure on the government and mobilise public opinion to stop the government and its supporters from issuing other laws that aimed to curb freedoms such as the laws on organising rallies and combating  terrorism.
The president also warned the Ministry of Social Affairs and the General Organisation for Youth and Sports (Goys) against preventing societies from exercising their right to express themselves according to Decree No. 18 of the Civic Societies Law that guaranteed them the freedom of expression.
He also emphasised that after the three-month grace period given by the Ministry of Justice to societies to correct their legal status, it would be hard for any society to conduct its political activities if it was not registered with the ministry.
He said both the Shura Council and the Chamber of Deputies had passed the new law,  ignoring the one suggested by the nine societies.
The eight societies have also expressed their reservations about a provision in the new law that stipulates 21 years as the minimum age for the youth to take part in such societies despite the fact that youth can enroll in  military services at the age of 18.
They also criticised the powers given to the minister to monitor and control various publications of the societies and to prevent them form getting financial support from Arab and foreign countries for training purposes.
The societies have also objected to another provision in the new law that prevents them from getting involved in the Arab and Islamic nations’ issues and bars them from fostering contacts with their counterparts in other countries.
The eight societies which took part in the rally were  Al Wefaq Islamic Society, Democratic Action society, National Democratic Assemblage, Islamic Action Society, Al Menbar Democratic Society, Al Wasat Al Arabi Society, National Brotherhood Society and  Public Freedoms and Democratic Support Society.
The First Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Abdulhadi Marhoon, has already promised the passing of a draft law to rectify the law of political societies in the next session of the chamber.
Marhoon stressed that once the new law was passed, deputies moved quickly at the blocs level to prepare the draft law to rectify the new law on the basis of the reservations made by the political societies.
Meanwhile, eight youth organisations signed a petition for lowering the age of membership in political societies to 18 years from 21. 
Last update on: 30-7-2005