Answer ... The Arbitration Law contains no express provision regarding the confidentiality of arbitration proceedings. This will therefore be a matter for the parties to agree on or, in the absence of any agreement, for the tribunal to decide. In practice, confidentiality is often expressly prescribed in the arbitration agreement.

In cases where confidentiality has not been expressly provided for in the arbitration agreement, many institutional arbitration rules recognise at least a partial principle of confidentiality in international arbitrations. For example, the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution in partnership with the American Arbitration Association (BCDR-AAA) Arbitration Rules 2017 state that an award may be made public only with the consent of all parties; and that unless otherwise agreed by the parties, all matters concerning the arbitration shall be kept confidential by the tribunal, the BCDR-AAA and any experts (but not the parties themselves). However, in arbitrations conducted under the International Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Rules 2017, no immediate confidentiality of proceedings exists and confidentiality must therefore be expressly ordered by the tribunal at the request of a party.

Answer ... There are no exceptions to confidentiality under the Arbitration Law.