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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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13 October 2009

PRESS RELEASE: Bahrain – IHRC welcomes the release of 19 protestors, set to be sentenced today for murder; court decision breaks ‘pardon’ precedent

Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC)  welcomes a Bahraini court’s decision to release 19 proetstors today.  The men, all youth, were originally detained, charged and convicted of murdering a police official during protests against the Bahraini government’s repressive policies.

The men were released today as ‘not guilty of any charges’, after much campaigning by IHRC and Bahraini human rights NGOs.  IHRC sent a legal observer from its team to today’s sentencing hearing.  In previous such cases, Bahraini courts under pressure in political trials have pardoned prisoners, once they were convicted.  

Amongst the conflicting evidence provided in a deeply flawed trial, was the discovery that the police official that the men were accused of killing had in fact died six months previously to the alleged murder.  As with many other cases, it is clear that the confessions in this case were obtained under torture.

IHRC Chair Massoud Shadjareh:

“We hope that today’s ruling will mark a new chapter of honesty in Bahraini legal procedure.”

For more information please contact the Press Office on (+44) 20 8904 4222 or (+44) 7958522196, email: info@ihrc.org.[ENDS]

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The Islamic Human Rights Commission is an NGO in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom

Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Fax (+44) 20 8904 5183
Email: info@ihrc.org
Web: www.ihrc.org