Bahrain Mirror: Bahraini high court of appeals upheld a court of first instance's verdict against an appellant. The court had sentenced him to 15 years in prison over setting fire to a security patrol.

The High Criminal Court sentenced on Monday (February 3, 2014) 13 defendants (aged between 17 and 34 years), to 3-15 years in prison over setting fire to a security patrol, acquiring Molotov cocktails and taking part in an assembly in As Salihiyah village.

The court handed down 15-year jail term to 11 defendants and 3-year jail term to 2 others.

The authorities claim that they received a notice stating that a group of demonstrators attacked a security patrol crossing the main road in the As Salihiyah, with Molotov cocktails. This led to completely burning the vehicle down, injuring two policemen.

Authorities organized search operations to find the perpetrators and arrested them.

The Public Prosecution claimed that on (May 11, 2012), the suspects, along with other unknowns, deliberately attempted to kill civil servants (policemen), set fire to a vehicle owned by the Interior Ministry, took part in an assembly of more than 5 persons aiming at disrupting public peace and acquired Molotov.

Human rights organizations challenge the charges raised against political detainees, 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