Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain's First High Criminal Court, presided over by judge Mohammad bin Ali Al Khalifa with the membership of judges Dia' Huraidi and Issam-Eldeen Mohammad Khalil and Naji Abdullah as secretariat, sentenced 13 suspects to 10 years in prison over setting an electrical generator used to light up national day decorations on fire as well as a number of tires in Hamad Town.

The authorities claim that the suspects on December 18, 2014 set a middle sized electrical general used to light up the national day decorations in Hamad Town on fire. The security forces headed to the location and saw 15 burning tires blocking the road near Safar Roundabout in Hamad Town. The forces extinguished the fire caused to the electrical generator which was completely damaged. They also put out the flames on a car which was parked near it; the car was partially damaged. The forces also removed the tires and opened the road.

The authorities also claimed that their investigations led to finding 4 suspects, 2 of whom were arrested. The two arrested confessed that they were involved in the crime.

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