The Bahrain Forum for Human Rights launches a report on the arbitrary sentences of the first half of the year, titled: “False Justice”

To read the report Press here

The Bahrain Forum for Human Rights issued a new report titled: “False Justice... A Report on the Arbitrary Sentences in Bahrain for the First Half of 2020”, during a digital symposium held in Beirut today, Saturday, July 18, with the participation of human rights and judicial organizations.

The following is the digital summary of the report:

Monitoring Summary 
In the first half of 2020, 78 arbitrary sentences were handed down by Bahraini courts to 74 men and 4 children, as the following distribution: 4 by the Lower Court, 27 by the High Court, 1 by an unspecified First Instance Court, 16 by the Court of Appeal, and 30 by the Court of Cassation. 
The sentences were as follows: 663 years and 10 months of imprisonment, including 12 life sentences, 5 sentences of revocation of nationalities, 4 death sentences, 2 acquittal verdicts, and a total of BD 800,000 of fines. 
June witnessed the largest number of arbitrary sentences amounting to 31, 28 of which were issued by the Court of Cassation, which concluded 26 rulings in the case of the so-called establishment of a terrorist organization. This case included upholding 5 revocations of nationalities against convicts Jawad Ridha Al-Tarifi, Hassan Ali Fateel, Muhammad Mamdouh Muhammad, Daniel Hassan Al-Sayegh, Mortada Muhammad Abdul-Ridha, and 8 life sentences against Jawad Rida Al-Tarifi, Hassan Ali Fateel, Bassem Allawi, Ali Hussein Al-Fardan, Sayed Ali Alawi Ashour, Habib Abdul-Wahed, Kadhem Ali Kadhem, and Hussein Muhammad Hassan Al-Shihabi. In addition, 3 previous life sentences against Wajih Moussa Al-Qamar, child Ali Hussein Moftah, and Muhammad Jaafar were monitored in January, and 1 against Hassan Abdel-Nabi in February. Thus, the total number of those sentenced to life imprisonment (as previously mentioned) is 12. 
However, the most prominent arbitrary rulings issued so far are the upholding of two death sentences in June by the Court of Cassation against prisoners of conscience Hussein Abdullah Khalil Rashed and Zuhair Ibrahim Jassem Abdullah Al-Sanadi. This means that the levels of litigation of their lawsuits ended, and the implementation of the two rulings awaits the signature of the king. June ended with an 8-month prison sentence handed down to lawyer Abdullah Al-Shamlawi by the Lower Criminal Court in the case of his comment on fasting on the occasion of Ashura. 
In addition to the two new death sentences, two other death sentences were upheld by the Court of Appeal against prisoners of conscience Muhammad Ramadan Issa Ali Hussein and Hussein Ali Moussa Hassan, in January, which witnessed the second largest number of arbitrary sentences amounting to 26. It was also the only month which included fines against 5 convicts totaling to BD 800,000. 
The manner in which sentences are distributed by courts, months, and types is shown in the table and diagrams below.

Recommendations: 
 
• To repeal the arbitrary sentences and release and compensate prisoners of conscience immediately and unconditionally. 
• The Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers to submit a request to visit Bahrain, and to pressure the Bahraini authorities to accept the visit request. 
• To amend the mechanisms of appointing the Supreme Judicial Council in order to allow the people to have the power to control the judiciary’s work. 
• To establish a clear and transparent mechanism through which those who have the required competence, from all groups of society, are allowed to engage in judicial work. 
• To establish legislative guarantees so that no other authorities can interfere in the work of the judiciary.