Bahraini.TV

One Bahraini was cleared and eight others had their sentences halved yesterday after earlier being jailed for two years for clashing with police at Bahrain International Airport.

Sentences of eight men were slashed to one year by the High Criminal Appeal Court, which acquitted 31-year-old Yasser Khalifa because there was no proof he was involved.

Another four, who were also arrested at the airport for the same offence, had their conviction and one-year sentence upheld.

The verdict was delivered by Judge Shaikh Mohammed bin Ali Al Khalifa, who was assisted by associate judges Ahmed Yahya and Ahmed Yousuf.

However, the men’s lawyers say they now have 30 days to take the case to the Cassation Court in the hope of further reducing their sentences.

There was a strong police presence outside yesterday’s hearing, in which the court reduced the sentences of the eight defendants upon appeal.

It upheld their February 8 conviction by the Lower Criminal Court for their involvement in the clashes.

However, their sentence was reduced because the appeal court felt that one year in jail was sufficient punishment.

The eight defendants who had their sentences reduced yesterday are Nader Ebrahim Abduleman 32, Hassan Abdulnabi 25, Bader Ahmed Al Jazeri 40, Jawad Al Salman 24, Qassim Mohammed Khaleel 19, Mohsin Abdulla Salman 23, Hassan Ali Haddad 25 and Mohammed Hassan Ashor 21.

The four whose original one-year sentences were upheld are Ali Mehdi Ahmed, 24, Fakhri Abdulla Rashid, 40, Nasser Ali Nasser, 33 and Abdulameer Ahmed Madan, 23.

Relatives of Mr Khalifa, who was released yesterday, were outside the court to greet him as he got his first taste of freedom in months.

“I am very happy to be back with my family,” he told the GDN yesterday after his conviction was quashed.

“I did not do anything – I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“But I was with the others in detention and I feel they are all innocent.

“I did not have the slightest idea that I would be acquitted. I was just hoping that my family would try to get me out of jail.

“I thank all those who have prayed for me.”

Mr Khalifa was greeted outside the court by his uncle Ali Ahmed Rashed, 52, and mother Zainab Ahmed Rashed, 50.

“Praise be to God,” said Mr Rashed after being reunited with his nephew.

“I just wish all the others were acquitted as well.”

However, he criticised the large police presence outside the court, where a small crowd had gathered to show their support for the defendants.

“There is no need for all these policemen,” he said.

“The defendants are ordinary men.

“The presence of these policemen inflames the situation and no one likes to see these strange faces around here.”

The demonstration at the airport, which ended in violent clashes between protestors and police, was sparked by the arrest of cleric Shaikh Mohammed Sanad on his return from Iran.

Shaikh Sanad was allegedly held over activities compromising national security, but was later released.

Lawyers Mohammed Al Mutawa, Ahmed Al Arrayedh, Shahzalan Khamis, Ali Salem Al Arrayedh, Fatima Al Hawaj and Taimor Karimi showed up in the High Criminal Appeal Court along with the 13 defendants, who were handcuffed and under heavy guard.

Many of the defendants’ female relatives were present in the court an hour before the session and chanted poetry outside the court hall.

There were emotional scenes as relatives were allowed to meet defendants for about 10 minutes, during which they hugged and kissed their sons and brothers..
GDN :: Mohammed Aslam :: 12 Apr ’06