Bahrain activists jailed following ‘politically motivated’ trials

Bahrain activists jailed following ‘politically motivated’ trials
The activists were convicted for their involvement in pro-reform protests

The activists were convicted for their involvement in pro-reform protests
Gregg Carlstrom/Al Jazeera
18 May 2011

The trials of eight activists convicted over their involvement in pro-reform protests in Bahrain that began in February, were politically motivated and unfair, Amnesty International said today.

A military court in Bahrain’s capital city Manama has sentenced the eight activists, in two separate cases, to between one and four years imprisonment for “participating in illegal demonstrations and inciting hatred against the regime” during popular protests in February and March.

One of the activists, Fadhila Mubarak Ahmad, is the first woman protester to be convicted as a result of the recent unrest in Bahrain. She was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.

“These trials and convictions represent yet further evidence of the extent to which the rights to freedom of speech and assembly are now being denied in Bahrain,” said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International’s director for Middle East and North Africa.

“These eight activists appear to have been sentenced to jail terms for doing no more than exercising their legitimate right to demonstrate against the government. If this is correct and they have been convicted solely because of their peaceful anti-government activities, they are prisoners of conscience who should be released immediately and unconditionally,” he added.

Ja’far Mohammad Ibrahim and Hussain ‘Ali Ahmad were sentenced to three years in prison. Mohammed Mulla Ahmad, Hassan Mansour Hussain and Haitham Shobar Sharaf were given two years, while Majad ‘Ali Mohammad and Ibrahim Salman ‘Abdullah each received a one-year prison sentence.

The eight people were detained without arrest warrants, were not allowed visits from their families while in detention and were permitted only very limited access to lawyers.

“The manner in which these trials were conducted – with civilian defendants brought before a secretive military court from which international observers have been barred – – is highly alarming. It is indicative of the diminishing space for human rights in Bahrain right now,” said Malcolm Smart. …more