Bahrain court issues flurry of convictions amid crackdown on dissent

As Manama continues to muffle calls for change, a court in Bahrain has convicted dozens of the country’s citizens to death, life in prison, and denationalization over allegations of murder and terrorism.

On Sunday, Bahrain’s al-Wasat newspaper reported that the court had issued death sentences against three and life terms against seven others, while stripping eight more of their citizenship over their alleged involvement in the killing of a police officer on the island of Sitra, south of the capital back in May.

The tribunal also convicted four other people to life in jail and six more to 15 years behind bars each over accusations that they had established and led a “terrorist” group named Jaish al-Imam “with the intention of arming and training its members to carry out acts of terrorism.”

Thousands of anti-regime protesters have held numerous demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the country on February 14, 2011. The protesters demand that the Al Khalifah dynasty relinquish power.

Scores of people have lost their lives (have been martyred) and hundreds of others sustained injuries or got arrested as a result of the regime’s crackdown.

Besides giving the security forces carte blanche in their treatment of protesters, the regime has also been using the legal channels at its disposal to muzzle dissent.

EA