Bahrain Mirror: The Bahraini High Criminal Court commuted a sentence issued against 3 appellants from 10 to 7 years in prison over charges of planting a hoax bomb, starting fire and assembling.

The court of first instance had sentenced 5 defendants, whose ages range between 16 and 24, to 10 years in prison over planting a hoax bomb, starting fire and assembling.

The Public Prosecution had accused them of planting, along with other unknown suspects, hoax explosives on December 5, 2014, for terrorist purposes, starting fire, endangering people's lives and properties and taking part in an assembly of more than 5 people aiming at disrupting public peace and committing crimes. The Public Prosecution added that the suspects used violence to achieve the aim they gathered for.

Human rights organizations challenge the charges raised against the defendants, 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 Version