8 December 2010
The trial of human rights defender Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja will continue on 9 December 2010. This is the fifth session in the trial, which is due to take place before the Minor Criminal Court of Bahrain.
Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is charged with “insulting” an airport official following an alleged altercation at Bahrain International Airport on 9 February 2010. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is a Regional Protection Coordinator with Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.
8 December 2010
The trial of human rights defender Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja will continue on 9 December 2010. This is the fifth session in the trial, which is due to take place before the Minor Criminal Court of Bahrain.
Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is charged with “insulting” an airport official following an alleged altercation at Bahrain International Airport on 9 February 2010. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is a Regional Protection Coordinator with Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.
On 9 February 2010, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was removed from a Turkish Airlines flight bound for Istanbul where he was due to attend a human rights conference. Following his removal from the aircraft, Mr Al-Khawaja was allegedly involved in an altercation with an airport official in Bahrain International Airport.
He was subsequently arrested and charged with “insulting” the official, contrary to Articles 92(2) and 365(1) of the Bahrain Penal Code. Article 92(2) sets out the various means by which a person may be considered to have insulted another, including by the use of derogatory words. Article 365(1) stipulates that the offence is punishable with imprisonment not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding BD100.
On 29 March 2010, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja appeared before the Minor Criminal Court of Bahrain and pleaded not guilty to the alleged offence. The trial was then adjourned until 24 May 2010 when Abdulhadi’s lawyer sought permission to question the plaintiff and four prosecution witness.
The trial continued on 9 June 2010 however the plaintiff and the four prosecution witnesses failed to attend the trial. The trial was adjourned until 26 October, on which date, the plaintiff and prosecution witnesses again failed to attend the court proceedings. The trial was again adjourned until 9 November 2010.
On 9 November 2010, the fourth session in the trial of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was held. The trial was attended by a British barrister, who observed the trial on behalf of Front Line. Please see the attached report which details the court proceedings.
The fifth session in the trial is due to begin on 9 December 2010.
Front Line believes that human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja has been targeted solely as a result of his legitimate work in the defence of human rights.
The report of the Independent Observer into the previous hearing of Abdulhadi AlKhawaja is attached in PDF format in both Arabic and English.
Arabic version Report of Observer on Case of Abdulhadi Alkhawaja.pdf
Report on Trial of Abdulhadi Khawaja by Trial Observer