The final judicial decision on whether
the death sentences of two Bahraini men will be upheld will be heard on 24
October. If their death sentences are upheld, the two men will be executed unless
the King grants them clemency.
On
22 May, the National Safety Court of Appeal, a military court, upheld the death
sentences imposed on ‘Ali ‘Abdullah
Hassan al-Sankis and ‘Abdulaziz
‘Abdulridha Ibrahim Hussain. The two men had been sentenced to death on 28
April, along with three other men whose sentences were commuted on 22 May. They
were accused of killing two policemen during anti-government protests in March
in Bahrain.
The
case of the two men was referred to Bahrain’s
Court of Cassation on appeal. The Court of Cassation’s verdict is scheduled for
24 October. If the sentences are upheld by the Court of Cassation, and then
ratified by the King, the two men will be executed.
The
two men were originally tried and sentenced by the National Safety Court of
First Instance. Like the National Safety Court of Appeal, this is a military
court comprising three judges - one military and two civilian. Amnesty
International considers military courts inappropriate for trying civilians and
that such trials directly infringe international standards of fair trial.
Please write immediately in Arabic or
English:
n
Acknowledge
the Bahraini government’s responsibility to protect the public and bring to
justice those responsible for committing crimes, however this should always be
done in accordance with international law and fair trial standards and Bahrain’s
international human rights obligations;
n
Urge
the King to immediately extend clemency to the two defendants and commute the
death sentences imposed on them if the death sentences are confirmed by the
Court of Cassation, and order their re-trial before ordinary criminal courts.
PLEASE SEND
APPEALS BEFORE 23 NOVEMBER 2011 TO:
King
Shaikh
Hamad bin ‘Issa Al Khalifa
Office
of His Majesty the King
P.O. Box
555
Rifa’a
Palace, Manama,
Bahrain
Fax:
+973 1766 4587
Salutation: Your Majesty
Minister of Justice
and Islamic Affairs
Shaikh Khaled bin Ali Al Khalifa
Ministry
of Justice and Islamic Affairs
P. O. Box
450
, Manama,
Bahrain
Fax:
+973 17531284
Salutation: Your
Excellency