Victim of Attack Imprisoned while Perpetrators Remain at Large
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Ref: 06080600
Victim of Attack Imprisoned while Perpetrators Remain at Large
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Ref: 06080600
The BCHR would like to inform you that Mr. Abbas Abdali, (BCHR ref: 07070600) was sentenced to two months imprisonment on Tuesday the 8th of August, by Court Judge Manna Al Buflaseh, of the Bahraini Lower Court, for giving false statements to the authorities. The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights had previously issued a detailed report on the issue (BCHR: Abbas Abdali Case) and voiced its concern over the proceeding of the investigation and hearing of the case. The Court Judge had previously refused five requests by the defense lawyer which included; the release of Mr. Abduali, to present the housemaid, her sponsor and Abduali’s friend, Mohammed, who was with him on the night he was attacked, as witnesses, to prevent the domestic worker from leaving the country until the cross-examination was completed, to allow his client to be taken to hospital for medical examination and to receive a copy of the complete file on his client. Significantly, the Individuals who assaulted Mr. abdali remain classified as “unknown” by the Public Prosecution.
The BCHR would like to stress upon the need for an independent evaluation of the case and its outcome, as the Bahraini Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor have repetitively proven to be far from independent. Cases such as these, whereby a gross violation of the defendants right to a fair trial takes place, is regretfully becoming a trend practiced as a norm, and only serve to highlight the incompetence of the Bahraini Judiciary.