Bahrain to execute Shia protesters

Four men have been sentenced to death over the killing of two policemen in anti-government protests last month A Bahraini military court has sentenced four Shia protesters to death over the killing of two policemen during anti-government protests last month. Three other men were sentenced to life in prison in the first verdicts related to a pro-democracy uprising, which was crushed with military help from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. The seven were tried behind closed doors on charges of premeditated murder of government employees. Their lawyers denied the charges. Hundreds of thousands of Bahrain’s Shia-led opposition have called for greater rights and freedoms in the Sunni monarchy. Authorities have detained hundreds since martial law was declared last month to quell dissent. Government officials have said that four policemen were killed during the unrest in February and March, at least three of whom were run over by cars around 16 March. Hundreds of protesters, opposition leaders and human rights activists have been detained since emergency rule was declared on 15 March . Earlier this month, the authorities banned media from covering legal proceedings in the country’s military courts. Among those detained are also dozens of Shia professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, including a lawyer who was due to defend some of the seven opposition supporters in the military court. The lawyer, Mohammed al-Tajer, is one of Bahrain’s most prominent human rights lawyers. He has represented hundreds of clients against the state, including Shia activists accused of plotting against the Sunni monarchy that has ruled Bahrain for more than 200 years. At least 30 people have died since 15 February, when anti-government protests erupted in Bahrain. Four opposition supporters have also died in police custody. Bahrain is the home of the US navy’s 5th Fleet. Bahrain last issued a death sentence in 2007, and before that had condemned only one person to die over the preceding three decades. That verdict came in the mid-1990s, during the greatest unrest Bahrain had seen before this year’s protests. Bahrain Capital punishment Protest Arab and Middle East unrest guardian.co.uk

Posted by on April 28, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.