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Free teenager call by society
By Cairen Harry
Published: 15th JULY 2008
HUMAN rights activists are demanding the release of a Bahraini teenager who was held overnight for questioning following clashes between riot police and protesters on Sunday.
The 13-year-old was being held along with at least five other people for their involvement in protests, according to Bahrain Human Rights Society secretary-general Dr Abdulla Al Durazi.
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Free teenager call by society
By Cairen Harry
Published: 15th JULY 2008
HUMAN rights activists are demanding the release of a Bahraini teenager who was held overnight for questioning following clashes between riot police and protesters on Sunday.
The 13-year-old was being held along with at least five other people for their involvement in protests, according to Bahrain Human Rights Society secretary-general Dr Abdulla Al Durazi.
“He is being held in Adliya in the juvenile prison. We have demanded to see him and for him to be released,” he said. “He is still a minor and they cannot just keep him there.”
A 16-year-old, who was of legal age, was also reportedly being held for questioning.
The clashes broke out in the afternoon and continued until around midnight after eleven Bahraini men were sentenced to prison for one to seven years for rioting and related offences. One was jailed for seven years and fined BD9,985 for causing unrest, violence against police and hurling a Molotov cocktail inside a police car.
Four were jailed for five years for causing unrest, violence aga-inst police, torching a police car and stealing guns and ammunition.
Six were jailed for a year each for obtaining and possessing a gun and causing unrest, while others were acquitted of all charges.
According to sources, the greatest disturbances were in Sanabis and Jidhafs, but that there had been clashes in other areas such as Dair, Diraz, Karbabad, Hamala, Samaheej and Malkiya.
“The protests started small but gathered force as the night went on and spread across Bahrain,” said the sources.
“By the late evening there were hundreds of people protesting, most of them youngsters.
“They were burning tyres and clashing with the police who used tear gas to get the crowd under control. It got really bad in some areas where Molotov cocktails were used and in Malkiya a gas cylinder was exploded.”
Manama Municipal Council services committee head Hameed Mansoor said that the people had a right to protest against the judgment despite the damage caused by the riots.
“There were parts of Manama that were left a mess. But people have the right to protest against any judgment they see as unfair. “Maybe some took it too far, but when rights are taken away, loved ones are threatened then people resort to desperate measures.”
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© Gulf Daily News
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=223141&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=31117&date=7-15-2008
