BCHR: Bahraini court jails activists in the face of international outcry

BCHR: Bahraini court jails activists in the face of international outcry

The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is extremely concerned to note that in spite of international and local appeals, two Bahraini activists have been jailed for posessing leaflets calling for a boycott of November’s elections.

Mohammed Saeed Al Sahlawi has been sentenced to one year in jail and Hussein Al Hibshi has been sentenced to six months in jail. Both were arrested on November 16 and charged with distributing and posessing material which might “damage the public interest”.

BCHR: Bahraini court jails activists in the face of international outcry

The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is extremely concerned to note that in spite of international and local appeals, two Bahraini activists have been jailed for posessing leaflets calling for a boycott of November’s elections.

Mohammed Saeed Al Sahlawi has been sentenced to one year in jail and Hussein Al Hibshi has been sentenced to six months in jail. Both were arrested on November 16 and charged with distributing and posessing material which might “damage the public interest”.

The mens’ lawyer Mohammed Ahmed, who yesterday criticised the ruling as being unfair, has said he will appeal the ruling.
“Just last week Human Rights Watch sent out an appealed asking for the charges against the two men to be dropped,” BCHR vice president Nabeel Rajab said.

“It is alarming that the trial and sentence went ahead with complete disregard to the reasonable questions raised about them at home and abroad.

“Basically, these two men have been jailed for exercising their right to a peaceful means of free expression, and this is a worrying precedent for Bahrain.”