Bahrain Mirror: The Bahraini Supreme Court of Appeals adjourned on Thursday (November 12, 2015) the trial of the Bahraini opposition leader and Secretary-General of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, Sheikh Ali Salman, until December 14 since the quorum of the courts' judges was not completed. Eyewitnesses said that Sheikh Ali Salman was not brought to the courtroom today.

The reasons behind not bringing Sheikh Ali to the court remain unknown. Meanwhile, the defence panel reiterated its demand to allow Sheikh Salman to have a look at the case documents, which the court has already denied.

The administration of Jaw Central Prison refuses to allow the entry of any document to Sheikh Salman before reading them. This is considered a clear violation of the principle of confidentiality between the lawyer and client.

It is noteworthy that, last week, the US Department of State called on dropping the charges against Sheikh Ali Salman, following a report by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that considered Sheikh Salman "arbitrarily detained" and requested his immediate release.

It is worth mentioning that the head of the First Supreme Criminal Court and one of the ruling family members, Mohammad bin Ali Al Khalifa, who handed down dozens of protestors long prison terms, is a candidate to the membership of the Court of Appeals that is currently looking into the case of Sheikh Ali Salman. Hamad bin Salman Al Khalifa, one of the ruling family members, was also a member of the fourth criminal court the sentenced Sheikh Salman to 4 years in prison.

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