Bahrain's King Pardons 178 prisoners
Sandeep Singh Grewal
April 12, 2009
Manama-The Bahrain King issued a decree granting royal pardon to 178 prisoners on Saturday night, some of which include convicts and suspects.
This was announced by the Minister of Interior, Lt.General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa who said in a statement that His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa pardoned hundreds of convicts and suspects arrested on security related crimes.
"This decision shows the wise leadership by the His Majesty King Hamad.Those released should learn a lesson from their past mistakes and start a new life," Shaikh Rashid said in a statement.
The men are expected to be released on Sunday after completing some formalities. Earlier this month, the Bahrain King pardoned jailed opposition activist Maitham Bader al-Sheikh who was arrested in December 2007 because of his ill health.
According to sources, among those release include top opposition figures- Hassan Mushaima and cleric Shaikh Mohammed Al Maqdad. This has been though officially not confirmed by the authorities. The men were charged with funding a terrorist group, plans to overthrow the regime and inciting hatred. Both the men denied all the charges during the high profile hearing last month which was attended by International monitors from human rights group. According to the men´s lawyer, their clients were expressing political issues without any aims to affect national unity and security
Mushaima is the Secretary General of the unregistered Haq Movement of Liberties and Democracy, which opposed participation in 2002 parliamentary elections because they wanted constitutional amendments.The other suspect is an outspoken scholar Shaikh Mohammed Al Maqdad.
Bahrain authorities foiled a major terror attack last year where 14 people were arrested and revealed during interrogation British and Syrian connections. According to their confessions, they were instigated by two Bahrainis living in London and influenced by three suspects. The men admitted they were influenced by sermons they attended in local religious community centres and mosques. According to reports, some men from the plot will also be released as part of the royal pardon.
Families of the detained men and local human rights group welcomed the noble gesture by the Bahraini leadership.
" This is certainly a good news which shows that there is political freedom in the Kingdom. These steps of dialogue and peace can bring real reforms for the citizens," Abdulla Al Derazi, Secretary General of the Bahrain Human Rights Society said.
Last year, King Hamad pardoned 225 prisoners which included rioters and those involved in vandalism acts.
Following the arrests of the opposition figures this year, violence escalated in several Shia dominated villages where masked youth burned trash cans, tires and clashed with the police. There were regular reports of rioters injured during the clashes. The disturbances resulted to traffic jams at almost half of Bahrain´s roads. The Special Forces were deployed to control the situation in several areas, where they fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the agitated crowd. A Pakistani man died last month after miscreants hurled petrol bombs at his vehicle in Ma´ameer, one of the disturbed villages. There were also several reports of hate attack against expatriates by miscreants in some of the villages in the Northern Governorate here.
Bahrain, a tiny island is home to the US Navy Fifth Fleet.
This was announced by the Minister of Interior, Lt.General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa who said in a statement that His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa pardoned hundreds of convicts and suspects arrested on security related crimes.
"This decision shows the wise leadership by the His Majesty King Hamad.Those released should learn a lesson from their past mistakes and start a new life," Shaikh Rashid said in a statement.
The men are expected to be released on Sunday after completing some formalities. Earlier this month, the Bahrain King pardoned jailed opposition activist Maitham Bader al-Sheikh who was arrested in December 2007 because of his ill health.
According to sources, among those release include top opposition figures- Hassan Mushaima and cleric Shaikh Mohammed Al Maqdad. This has been though officially not confirmed by the authorities. The men were charged with funding a terrorist group, plans to overthrow the regime and inciting hatred. Both the men denied all the charges during the high profile hearing last month which was attended by International monitors from human rights group. According to the men´s lawyer, their clients were expressing political issues without any aims to affect national unity and security
Mushaima is the Secretary General of the unregistered Haq Movement of Liberties and Democracy, which opposed participation in 2002 parliamentary elections because they wanted constitutional amendments.The other suspect is an outspoken scholar Shaikh Mohammed Al Maqdad.
Bahrain authorities foiled a major terror attack last year where 14 people were arrested and revealed during interrogation British and Syrian connections. According to their confessions, they were instigated by two Bahrainis living in London and influenced by three suspects. The men admitted they were influenced by sermons they attended in local religious community centres and mosques. According to reports, some men from the plot will also be released as part of the royal pardon.
Families of the detained men and local human rights group welcomed the noble gesture by the Bahraini leadership.
" This is certainly a good news which shows that there is political freedom in the Kingdom. These steps of dialogue and peace can bring real reforms for the citizens," Abdulla Al Derazi, Secretary General of the Bahrain Human Rights Society said.
Last year, King Hamad pardoned 225 prisoners which included rioters and those involved in vandalism acts.
Following the arrests of the opposition figures this year, violence escalated in several Shia dominated villages where masked youth burned trash cans, tires and clashed with the police. There were regular reports of rioters injured during the clashes. The disturbances resulted to traffic jams at almost half of Bahrain´s roads. The Special Forces were deployed to control the situation in several areas, where they fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the agitated crowd. A Pakistani man died last month after miscreants hurled petrol bombs at his vehicle in Ma´ameer, one of the disturbed villages. There were also several reports of hate attack against expatriates by miscreants in some of the villages in the Northern Governorate here.
Bahrain, a tiny island is home to the US Navy Fifth Fleet.
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