By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East Desk
MANAMA, Bahrain — Nine medics who were arrested for their role in the pro democracy uprising that took place last year had their jail terms upheld by the Court of Cassation, Bahrain’s highest court, on Monday. They were convicted on charges of weapons possession, incitement, and for taking part in the demonstrations. Nine other medics had their sentences overturned in June and two are currently in hiding.
Dr. Ali Al-Ekri, a former senior surgeon at the Salmaniya Hospital in Manama, the largest hospital in Bahrain, was sentenced to five years in prison, while one of his colleagues received a sentence of three years. The other medics received sentences ranging between a month and a year.
“We did not get a fair trial… We think we are a card being used by the regime to negotiate with the opposition,” Al-Ekri said in a telephone interview with Reuters. This was the final appeal that could be heard, leaving the medics without any other chances to have their case heard. Mohammed Al-Maskati, head of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, says that while there are no other opportunities for an appeal left, there still might be a chance for a pardon by the king.
The arrests and convictions of the medics have attained global criticism. Amnesty International claims that the medics were arrested for publicly denouncing the use of excessive force used by the government during the protests in interviews conducted by international news media. Washington has also criticized the court’s ruling.
Amnesty International Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director Ann Harrison said during a statement, “[w]ith today’s verdict, the Bahraini government has shown once more it is not serious about human rights and accountability for past violations.” Harrison believes that Monday’s affirmation of the convictions goes against the promises Bahrain made before the Human Rights Council in Geneva on September 19. The promises included measures aimed at releasing prisoners of conscience, bolstering fair trial guarantees, and investigating human rights violations committed during and after last year’s reforms.
Rights groups expressed concern during the protests over the government’s treatment of medics. An independent commission criticized Bahrain for its excessive use of force and torture. The government has implemented some reforms after last year, but the opposition says that they are “superficial and have not curtailed routine abuses.” The Shi’ite opposition wants a constitutional monarchy and a more equitable political system that would grant them greater representation, ending decades-old discrimination against them in their search for jobs, also within the army and security forces.
For further information, please see:
Al Jazeera — Bahrain Court Upholds Verdict in Medics Trial — 1 October 2012
Amnesty International UK — Bahrain Should Quash Medics’ Convictions — 1 October 2012
Bahrain Freedom Movement — Bahrain Upholds Jail Terms for Medics — 1 October 2012
BBC News — Bahrain Court Rejects Medics’ Appeal — 1 October 2012
Reuters — Bahrain Court Upholds Jail Terms on Protesting Medics — 1 October 2012
