By MOHAMMED ASLAM
Published: 15 September 2006
A PRISONER collapsed in court and another three reportedly required attention yesterday after staging a hunger strike apparently lasting two weeks.
The men are among 19 defendants who have been charged with staging an illegal demonstration, clashing with police and damaging public and private property at Al Dana Mall, Sanabis, in March.
All appeared in the High Criminal Court yesterday after being held in police custody for the last six months.
However, at the end of the hearing one collapsed and at least two others appeared to be almost unconscious – with supporters throwing water on their faces to keep them awake.
By MOHAMMED ASLAM
Published: 15 September 2006
A PRISONER collapsed in court and another three reportedly required attention yesterday after staging a hunger strike apparently lasting two weeks.
The men are among 19 defendants who have been charged with staging an illegal demonstration, clashing with police and damaging public and private property at Al Dana Mall, Sanabis, in March.
All appeared in the High Criminal Court yesterday after being held in police custody for the last six months.
However, at the end of the hearing one collapsed and at least two others appeared to be almost unconscious – with supporters throwing water on their faces to keep them awake.
As soon as the defendant collapsed police cleared the courtroom amid scenes of chaos, as female supporters began crying and wailing and an ambulance was called.
The men are staging the hunger strike in protest at the fact that they have been detained for so long even though they have not yet been found guilty.
All of them have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
In yesterday’s hearing, three police officers who were at the demonstration were called to be cross-examined by the men’s defence lawyers.
One of them, a 37-year-old police captain from Manama Police Station, was asked by lawyer Fatima Al Hawaj if the rally was already underway in Sanabis when he arrived, if an order was given for people to disperse and how they were dispersed.
“The rally was being staged at that time when I reached there,” replied the captain.
“Riot police were present in the area and I saw an officer approaching the gathered crowd, but suddenly the crowd started throwing stones at them.”
The captain added that he did not arrest anyone at the demonstration, which was called to demand the release of people jailed for an unauthorised demonstration at Bahrain International Airport in December and others detained since for protesting in support of them.
During the demonstration protesters ran inside Al Dana Mall to escape police, who in turn followed them inside.
A second police officer, 38, who was called to the stand claimed he did not remember much about the incident because so much time has passed.
“It is a long time since this incident took place and I don’t remember everything now,” he told the court.
“My job was to take out the people gathered inside the mall.”
When asked how many people were inside the mall he said he did not enter.
“But you had stated earlier that there were about 30 to 40 people inside Al Dana Mall,” said Ms Al Hawaj.
“Yes I said that,” replied the officer.
“Did you arrest the first rioter?” asked Ms Al Hawaj.
“I arrested people who broke and damaged property and I don’t know their names,” he answered.
“At the time of issuance of the order to disperse were you present there?” asked Ms Al Hawaj.
“I did not hear the order that was issued outside the mall because I was inside,” replied the officer.
“When you reached Al Dana Mall were the people gathered there in groups or were they gathered in one big group,” asked Ms Al Hawaj.
“I don’t remember now, because this incident took place a long time ago,” replied the officer.
He said that he and other policemen arrested demonstrators and that other people were also inside the mall at the time.
“Now you are telling the court that there were other shoppers inside the mall, so how did you arrest these rioters?” asked Ms Al Hawaj.
“Ordinary people do not carry stones when they go shopping and I was hit by stones and I can distinguish between people,” replied the officer.
However, he acknowledged that he could not identify people who threw stones at him nor how many there were.
“They were throwing stones at everyone,” he said.
“Did they hit you?” asked Ms Al Hawaj.
“They were throwing stones at random,” he replied.
The third policeman, 40, said he arrived at the demonstration after “a long time” and that the demonstrators started throwing stones soon after he arrived.
“They did not give us any chance (to arrest demonstrators) and started throwing stones at us,” he said.
“I did not arrest anyone, but police arrested the people who were inside Al Dana Mall.
“I was outside Al Dana Mall and I did not see from where these people were throwing stones.
“When I reached there the clashes had already started.”
One of the demonstrators was also given the chance to speak yesterday and claimed that after a court hearing last month some defendants were beaten by police inside prison and demanded an investigation.
He also said that most of the 19 men had been on hunger strike for the last two weeks because they wanted to be released.
Judge Shaikh Mohammed bin Ali Al Khalifa yesterday adjourned the case until September 26 to allow the defence team more time to submit documents to the court. All 19 were remanded in police custody.
© Gulf Daily News
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=155803&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29179