What is the Bahrain legal system like?

Bahrain has adopted a legal system based on English law, which is a mixed legal system. This system was brought to the country after the British occupation. However, Islamic law, Sharia, also has a significant influence and is applied in some matters. Laws, judicial decisions and Sharia provisions published in English are considered as sources of law. Bahrain has a legislative body, the Shura Council, and the House of Representatives to create and change laws. These bodies work together to adopt and change laws. The judicial system in Bahrain has a hierarchy of two tiers of courts. Lower courts are called courts of justice and Sharia courts. Courts of justice adjudicate various matters such as criminal cases, civil cases and commercial cases. Sharia courts, on the other hand, apply Sharia provisions on matters such as family, inheritance and marriage. Judges in Bahrain are divided into judicial judges and Sharia judges. While judicial judges apply English law, Sharia judges apply Sharia provisions. Judges serve in accordance with the principles of independence and impartiality. Respect for human rights and the right to a fair trial are important values in Bahrain. However, according to some critics, the judicial system still needs improvement and human rights violations may occur. Therefore, the government and the judicial system are making efforts to make further progress on these issues.