We, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
After reviewing the Constitution,
And Law No. (22) of 2006 of the Protection of Copyright and Related Rights, as amended,
And Law No. (16) of 2014 of the Protection of State Information and Documents,
And Royal Order No. (18) of 2008 of establishing the Isa Cultural Centre, amended by Royal Order No. (32) of 2008,
HEREBY ORDERS THE FOLLOWING:
Article 1
A centre called "National Archives" is to be established at the Isa Cultural Centre, with the aim of collecting the public documents and supervising their preservation and archiving in accordance with the scientific principles of archiving, and organizing their circulation to researchers and others who wish to benefit from them.
Article 2:
The National Archives shall be responsible for carrying out all tasks and activities for which the objectives are achieved, and to take the relevant procedures, including the following:
1) Gathering, cataloging and indexing public documents and archives, preparing data and guidance thereon, and regulating their circulation.
2) To protect the public documents from damage, repair and repair the damage they may suffer, and use the necessary procedures and means of maintenance and safety.
3) Provide data and information on public documents, and provide research areas for researchers and others who wish to benefit from the information material acquired by the archive.
4) Supervising the destruction of public documents that are determined to be destroyed in accordance with the regulations prescribed in this regard.
5) Provide the necessary advice to government bodies regarding the rules governing the organization of public documents in their possession.
6) Provide the necessary advice to the local authorities upon request regarding the procedures and precautions necessary to protect their documents from damage factors.
7) Organizing seminars, conferences, training programs and workshops related to the objectives of the National Archives, or participating in any of them, in cooperation and coordination with the concerned authorities.
8) Any other tasks related to the objectives of the National Archives entrusted by the Board of Trustees of the Isa Cultural Centre.
The documents and archives of the Royal Court, the Crown Prince Court, the Bahrain Defense Force, the General Security, the National Guard and the National Security Agency are exempt from the foregoing.
Article 3
The Board of Directors of Isa Cultural Centre shall manage and administrate the National Archives and shall, in so doing, do the following:
1) Proposing the general and detailed plans of the National Archives, its programs and projects, and supervising its implementation after being approved by the Board of Trustees of Isa Cultural Centre.
2) To propose the internal regulations necessary for the conduct of the technical, administrative and financial, affairs of the national archives, and supervise the implementation, thereof after being approved by the Board of Trustees.
In order to carry out its functions, the Board of Directors may contact the ministries, public authorities and others, and it may seek the assistance of specialists, professionals and qualified experts, in the government or outside it.
Article 4
The National Archives shall have a one-numbered financial credit that included within the budget of Isa Cultural Centre.
Article 5
The Board of Trustees of the Isa Cultural Centre receives from the Board of Directors a semi-annual report on the activity of the National Archives, including its most prominent achievements, obstacles and proposing the most important solutions to avoid them.
Article 6
This order shall come into effect from the date of its issuance and shall be published in the Official Gazette.
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
King of the Kingdom of Bahrain
Issued at Riffa Palace:
On 15th Ramadan, 1436 Hijri
Corresponding to 2nd July, 2015 AD