The Advisory Council held its regular weekly meeting on Monday under the chairmanship of HE the Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Council discussed draft law amending certain provisions of laws related to energy affairs.

Under the amendment, the statement of "Minister of State for Energy Affairs" is replaced with "Minister of Energy and Industry," which is mentioned in a number of laws related to energy affairs.

After the discussion, the Council approved the draft law and decided to refer it to the government.

The Council also discussed the report of the Internal and External Affairs Committee on the draft law on DNA, which replaces Law No 9 of 2013 as part of the modernisation of legislation.

The draft law, which included 14 articles, states that a DNA database shall be established at the Ministry of Interior and shall be attached to the relevant authority at the Ministry.

The database shall be used to store genetic information obtained from DNA samples as per the law. Biochemical sampling, biopsy, DNA testing, data preservation on the DNA database, or using it in investigation or trial is prohibited unless it was based on a decision from Public Prosecution or a relevant court.

Data stored in the DNA database shall be confidential and cannot be viewed without the permission of the Minister of Interior, the Public Prosecutor or a relevant court.

DNA tests and data kept in the DNA database are authentic in evidence unless proven otherwise, except for rulings of descent provided for in chapter two of part six of the family law.

In its report, the Committee recommended amending article 11 of the draft law on penalties.

After the discussion, the Council approved the draft law as amended and decided to forward its recommendations to the government.

At the end of the meeting, the Council received a report from its delegation participating in the second conference of the League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds held in Istanbul, Turkey titled "Jerusalem is the Capital of Palestine."

Meanwhile yesterday, the Advisory Council's Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee held a meeting under the chairmanship of its Rapporteur Nasser bin Rashid bin Saria al-Kaabi.

The Committee continued its review on the draft law on issuing the law against money laundering and terrorism financing and decided to continue its review in the next session.

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