The Kingdom of Bahrain has observed a de facto moratorium on capital punishment, though it has retained the right to apply the punishment for the most serious of crimes, according to a statement issued by the Information Affairs Authority (IAA).
“Since 1978, there have been four executions in Bahrain,” said IAA while commenting on Thursday’s Court decision.
“The verdict is a clear indication of the community’s utter condemnation of barbarous crimes and a profound commitment to the protection of precious lives, human dignity and fundamental rights regardless of color, gender, sect and nationality.
“Being faced with a security situation that included extreme and premeditated violence, often against unarmed and vulnerable civilians, compounded by outside interference, Bahrain had been left with no option but to declare the State of National Safety on March 15, so as to restore peace and security and ensure the protection of the rights of all,” the IIA statement added.
The National Safety Lower Court issued verdicts against seven defendants for crimes with regard to their involvement in the murder of two policemen.
Ali Abdullah Al Singees, Abdul Aziz Abdul Ridha Hussain, Qasim Hassan Matar Ahmad, and Saeed Abdul Jalil Saeed were given the death penalty over their role in killing two policemen.
Eisa Abdullah Kadhem Ali, Sayyed Sadiq Ali Mahdi and Hussain Jaafar Abdul Karim were sentenced to life imprisonment.
“Lawyers of the seven convicted persons have the right to appeal before the National Safety Court of Appeals. The defendants received all legal rights in line with human rights international laws and had lawyers representing them during the trial. They were also allowed to contact their families. The trial sessions were attended by representatives of human rights organisations and relatives of the defendants.”