Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain's third high criminal court, presided over by judge Ibrahim Al-Zayed with the membership of judges Wajih Al-Shaer and Bader Al-Abdullah and Yousef Bu Hardan as secretariat, convicted a Bahraini (22 years old), sentencing him to 10 years in prison, fining him 500 BD and confiscating the seized items, over charges of possessing a firearm and damaging a security forces vehicle in Damestan.

The authorities based its accusations on the statements of the attesting witness (lieutenant). He claimed that he received information about suspects accused of cases of a political aspect in Damnestan, so he headed there with a group of security vehicles and when the suspects saw him they fled. The suspect then took out a firearm and fired at them which led to damages to the security forces vehicle. They pursued the suspects and he managed to arrest the suspect but he severely resisted him which caused various injuries.

Human rights organizations challenge the charges raised against the suspects since they doubt the independence of the judiciary, whose members are assigned by royal decrees, and since it issues sentences based on confessions extracted under duress and evidence presented by secret investigations and anonymous witnesses.

Arabic Issue